2. Parks for People - the story so far…
• 1996: Urban Parks Programme
• 2002: Public Parks Initiative
• 2006: Parks for People, with
Big Lottery Fund in England.
• £700m+ has been awarded to
more than 700 parks across the
UK
3. “The benefits of a high-
quality well-maintained park
are universally accepted but
there are major concerns
about the future of parks as
non-statutory local authority
services.
Cemeteries have also been
identified as public spaces
facing significant problems
similar to those of other
designed landscapes.”
Strategic Framework 2013-18
4. Parks for People – what we fund
• Conservation of existing
designed landscapes
• Grants from £100k to
£5m
• Masterplan approach
• Fund capital works and
activities
• Local community
involvement
• A well-maintained site in
the future
• 28 Feb & 31 Aug
deadlines
First-round England budget
£30m (HLF £20m, BIG £10m)
split between two meetings in
June and December
5. Why does HLF fund cemeteries?
• Designed landscapes
• At risk
• Rich heritage
• Managed like parks
• Involve volunteers and
communities
• Important urban greenspace
• Compete for funding with
parks
6. Challenges for cemeteries
• Buildings at risk – and
their reuse
• Conservation costs
• Ownership models
• Biodiversity versus tidy
• Bereavement sensitivities
• On-going revenue and
sustainability
