Your Park Bristol & Bath Launches Bold 12-Month Campaign to Transform Local Parks
Bristol and Bath’s popular charity, Your Park Bristol & Bath (YPBB), marks its fifth anniversary with an ambitious mission. The goal? To overhaul the cities’ parks and green spaces so everyone can enjoy them, especially the 30% currently left out.
Why Parks Are Failing Us
YPBB reveals a shocking truth: out of 580 parks and green spaces, most lack inclusive design. Disabled people, carers, women and girls, ethnic minorities, and low-income residents face the biggest barriers.
The charity spots three main problems stopping people from accessing parks:
- Physical Accessibility: Many parks don’t have wheelchair-friendly paths or accessible toilets.
- Personal Safety: Poor visibility and safety measures make women and girls feel vulnerable.
- Mental Wellbeing: Limited green space worsens mental health issues, despite nature’s proven benefits.
The Reimagining Parks Campaign: A Park for Everyone
Kicking off on May 9, YPBB’s Reimagining Parks campaign aims to put a park within a 10-minute walk for every local resident, worker, or student. The charity’s plan includes:
- Making parks fully accessible to Disabled people and carers.
- Designing with women’s safety and enjoyment in mind.
- Using green spaces to boost support for mental health.
£30k Fundraising Challenge with Aviva Match
The charity launches a six-week fundraising drive targeting £30,000, with Aviva matching every penny donated. This initial boost will help jumpstart vital improvements, with hopes for further backing as the campaign unfolds.
YPBB Chief Exec Charlee Bennett Speaks Out
“Parks are nature-rich, free community assets that benefit mental and physical health. Unfortunately, they’ve historically been designed narrowly, excluding many. Our campaign isn’t just about changing landscapes; it’s about fostering inclusivity, safety, and wellbeing.”
Top Targets for the Year Ahead
- Exemplar Parks: Create fully accessible green spaces in both Bristol and Bath to cater for all physical disabilities.
- Community Activities: Launch sensory walks, play sessions, family events, and accessible gardening in every neighbourhood to support 2,000 people.
- Female-Focused Redesign: Redesign one park in each city by a female designer to enhance safety and introduce women-centred facilities.
Plus, extend the Roots to Wellbeing GP-referral program to two new areas, supporting mental health through nature.
Your Park Bristol & Bath is determined to make green spaces welcoming for all. Their campaign could change the face of local parks forever.
