From Addingham to Wyke there are active Friends groups and individuals helping to keep our parks and woodlands spic and span. This help and support is essential to keeping these natural and recreational spaces clean and green. But it’s not all about litter picking there are lots of practical and rewarding tasks from building dry stone walls to leading guided walks.
I’ve found joining a friends group and helping out has been a great way to give something back to the place I live, make new friends and keep me fit.
Join a Friends Group
There are more than 20 Friends Groups who have adopted a pace and are making a difference. Each group is different and has its own interests. Some are keen on local historians, putting on visitor activities and events others organise regular “practical task” days to tackle a worn out footpaths, clear invasive weeds or carry out some tree planting. Council colleagues in the Department of Place work with Friends groups to develop management plans, support activities and tackle anti social behaviour. Please see our Friends page for local contacts.
Start a Friends Group!
If there isn’t a group looking after your local park – please start one! We have some useful guides and contacts on how to get going . Some people who want to begin applying for funding form fully constituted groups with officers and regular meetings, other’s simple pull together an informal network using facebook or a contact list and meet up to carry out an activity.
Do your bit
Some people are happy to go it alone – carrying out a spot of litter picking on a regular walking route or helping to be an extra pair of eyes and ears reporting on things that are missing or broken.
Join an outdoor sports club
Many of our sporting and recreational clubs are now involved in helping to manage sports facilities etc.
Become a sponsor
Many local businesses take advantage of our sponsorship opportunities. Sponsors provide some much needed income to keep our parks funded whilst increasing the profile of their business in the local community. (find a sponsor photo)