Parkforce

Campaign highlighting the importance of park workers in transforming and maintaining Britain's parks.

What is Parkforce?

Parkies, park keepers, park rangers, park wardens - whatever the job title, people in our parks make all the difference. It's the difference between no-go areas and let's-go areas. The presence of dedicated park staff – a Parkforce – can encourage people back into our green spaces.

Parks need Parkforce pointed out:

  • 39 per cent of women feel unsafe in London’s green spaces - 89 per cent of them said more staff would make them feel safer.
  • in Sunderland's parks, the cost of repairs needed because of vandalism decreased from £40,570 in 1993/94 to £2,410 in 1998/99 following the introduction of a park warden scheme.

The Parkforce Pledge

Over 130 local authorities and organisations took the Parkforce Pledge, which stated:

  • we recognise the value of having staff on site during daylight hours in every significant park across our borough.
  • we are committed to finding ways of developing and sustaining our investment in the people who care for these public spaces.
  • we see our Parkforce as an integral part of the wider neighbourhood management team who share responsibility for making our community a safe, popular and beautiful place to live.

Our Parkforce Fact Pack shows how six local authorities made their vision for Parkforce a reality.

New York's Parkforce

CABE Space took the Parkforce campaign on the road in November 2005. Head US ranger, Sarah Aucoin and New York's director of park ranger services, Sara Hobel toured parks and green spaces around the UK, sharing ideas and best practice with UK park managers. They explained how an innovative approach to staffing helped turn around parks in New York City.

Parkforce Awards

The Parkforce awards were created by CABE, in association with Horticulture Week and the Local Government Association. They celebrated the work done by park staff across Britain to make our parks and public spaces safe, clean and beautiful places for people to enjoy.

Paul Spriggs, an urban park development ranger from Rotherham won the Britain’s Best Park Worker award. Leicester City Council’s park service were announced as Britain’s Best Parkforce.