The City of London Corporation is celebrating National Volunteers’ Week by recognising the valuable contribution of local people who help maintain and enhance its parks, forests, heaths, and gardens.
Its open spaces elected Members today hailed the critical role volunteers play in preserving over 11,000 acres of open space which the City Corporation manages across the capital and southeast England.
Attracting more than 47 million visitors every year, many of these sites are owned and managed by the City Corporation as registered charities, and at little or no cost to the communities they serve.
They include a wide variety of critically important wildlife habitats, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Areas of Conservation and National Nature Reserves.
It comes as The Big Help Out initiative returns for a second year, following its launch in 2023 as part of The King’s Coronation.
Chair of the City Corporation’s Natural Environment Board, and West Ham Park Committee, Caroline Haines, said:
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of London’s parks, gardens, and open spaces, bringing enthusiasm and commitment to preserving our most treasured green areas for future generations.
“This year marks a special anniversary for West Ham Park as we celebrate 150 years since the City of London Corporation took over responsibility for the ownership and management of the Park in 1874 – with a weekend of free family activities, music, dance and sport across Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July.
“It’s the largest green space in the Borough of Newham and became a real lifeline for so many people during the pandemic. The love and support for this historic and beautiful space shown by the Friends of West Ham Park and other volunteers is truly heartwarming and makes it such an important community asset.”
Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee, Ben Murphy, said:
“Looking after more than 9,000 acres of some of the UK’s most protected green spaces is no mean feat. I am delighted that in the last year, over 28,000 volunteer hours were donated across Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches and the Commons.
“However, combined, these sites attract well over 12 million visitors annually, and the growing visitor pressure requires us to do more than ever to maintain them to a high standard and help support visitors in a wide range of activities and events.
“This Volunteers’ Week we are asking for your help. Would you be willing to explore giving something back to your community by volunteering? Whatever your experience, everyone is welcome to lend a hand, and we’d love to hear from you.
“We know that volunteering can help tackle loneliness, build connections between children and nature, help people learn new skills, boost mental and physical health and bring communities together. We also know that businesses have enjoyed significant benefits from corporate volunteering. So why not give it a try?”
“I continue to be grateful to the many groups and individuals who donate their time to support our charities.”
The City Corporation’s sites also include West Wickham Common and Spring Park (The West Wickham Commons); Farthing Downs, Coulsdon, Kenley, and Riddlesdown Commons (The Coulsdon Commons); Burnham Beeches and Stoke Common; Ashtead Common; and over 180 parks, plazas and churchyards within the Square Mile.
A recent study revealed that this network of internationally important open spaces are worth £282.6 million each year in benefits to society with an overall benefit-to-cost ratio of 16.4 – meaning that every £1 spent on maintaining and protecting them delivers £16.40 in ‘natural capital benefits’ for the public.
