Urban Green Spaces Partnership

This partnership brings together two key organisations representing the UK’s urban green spaces, with funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

The new partnership aims to support people working at and using parks, gardens, city farms and allotment sites. Four main areas will be covered under the partnership:

• Building the skills and abilities of those working with urban green spaces at local and regional authorities
• Developing the abilities of people working at local groups such as community gardens
• Helping raise awareness of the benefits of green space
• Providing support and best practice help for people at allotment sites

Both GreenSpace and the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens also aim to give the Government feedback direct from local people and communities in order to help shape future policy.

The growing popularity of allotment gardening has been recognised with special funding from DCLG for the first time. The Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens will take the lead on this aspect of the work, through the Allotments Regeneration Initiative and its extremely successful allotment mentor network.

Speaking about the partnership, Paul Bramhill, Chief Executive of GreenSpace, said: "Working together with the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens will provide support for professionals working in the regions and to communities across the country. We hope to develop this relationship over the next few years and this funding will help us work with other organisations across the sector to make parks and green spaces better."

Director of FCFCG Jeremy Iles said: "This is great news for all users of all urban green spaces, both those run by local councils and those that are community-managed. This partnership with GreenSpace will not only build the capacity of people working with urban green spaces, but also create more joined-up thinking and action to support parks, allotments, community gardens and farms."

For more information about GreenSpace, visit: www.green-space.org.uk