Lambeth's parks, commons and open spaces are some of the best green spaces in London, providing what local people - and visitors from all over the UK and beyond - need and want. However, there's always something that has needs to be done to make them even more attractive, colourful and welcoming, ranging from planting trees and shrubs, creating new wildlife areas, removing eyesores or barriers to safety, or generally reducing our impact upon the wider environment.
We have a long-standing commitment to working with local businesses, community groups and even individual residents through specific volunteer days and programmes to deliver change and help them make a difference to the parks and spaces they use and enjoy, as well as their own lives. We run events at places like Clapham Common, Brockwell Park, Kennington Park and Streatham Common, among many others.
What we'll deliver:
- Creating new wildlife and educational features - including a new pond
- Installing and updating signage to inform and educate
- Removing eyesores and barriers to safe access, including old or unwanted vegetation
- Improving and replanting woodland, wetland and wildlife areas
Why it's a great idea:
In parks and open spaces the 'big things' - the mundane and routine stuff - gets done by contractors and councils and everybody takes it for granted. However, it's the little things - the things we'd all like to get done but never have the willing hands and enthusiasm to achieve - that really make for great change in how a greenspace looks and feels, and we know that these are the things volunteers and supporters like to do and know they did them.
Things like new wildlife planting, planting new trees or even just getting rid of an eyesore have an enormous effect on how somewhere looks and feels. It also gives those doing it a real buzz - 'we did that and did it well'. These things add colour and variety, and it's what the public notice and really comment on - everybody gets to feel great and know they achieved something. And of course it also helps make our parks and open spaces look better and deliver what they should be doing.
Steps to get it done:
- Providing the right tools, materials and equipment to get the job done
- Publicising what we are doing and why, and acknowledging those who helped achieve each task
- Working with business and community volunteers to undertake practical changes
Lambeth Council has a powerful commitment to running regular volunteering days right through the year so we always welcome groups who want to help make a difference. Every pennyw e get from donations or sponsorship goes into providing items or materials that can be seen on site, and make a permanant change to the way a site looks and feels - nothing is wasted and everything gets acknowledged!
