The Parks Trust secures National Lottery investment

By Hannah Bodley

The Parks Trust has received initial support* from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund for the Great Linford Manor Park project, it was announced today.

The project aims to restore and interpret the historic parkland around Great Linford Manor in Milton Keynes. It will revive the character of the park’s 18^th Century landscape design, which includes a water garden with cascades and a ‘Wilderness’. The project will create a rich ornamental park, with a great sense of history, and enable more people to come and enjoy the park’s wealth of historic features and attractive landscape. 

At this stage of the project HLF and Big Lottery Fund will provide development funding of £321,200 over the next two years to help The Parks Trust progress the restoration plan and to consult with the local community. The Trust will then apply for a full grant of £3.16 million to implement the project.

Commenting on the award, Phil Bowsher, Head of Landscape, Strategy & Development, The Parks Trust said: “We’re delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us this support so we can work-up the plans to ‘Reveal, Revive and Restore’ Great Linford Manor Park. This is a significant step towards us being able to restore the park’s important heritage. Our outline proposals include new facilities with guided trails, play areas, and interpretation of the site’s evolution since the 7^th Century. An activity programme aims to provide more events in the park and create new volunteering and training opportunities. A sculpture project, education and outreach programmes will enable more people to enjoy the park and a new Friends Group is proposed to enable people to become involved in the restoration of the park.”

The support for Great Linford Manor Park comes as part of an announcement of £30.7million for 16 parks across the UK.

HLF’s Chair Sir Peter Luff, said, on behalf of HLF and Big Lottery Fund: “It’s clear that our parks are important to us in countless ways – from physical and mental wellbeing to a connection with nature and our heritage. It’s also clear however that public parks must work in new ways to respond to the funding challenges they face and this investment, thanks to National Lottery players, will help them to do this.

“We’re delighted to announce this funding today, especially in time for the tenth Love Parks Week, and look forward to a bright future for these parks.”