Luton Council has been given nearly £1 million to help more people enjoy the town’s parks, meadows and other green spaces.
The £950,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will support the Roots to Healthy Places project, which aims to make it easier for people to connect with nature — especially those who face the greatest barriers.
The council will work with local and national organisations including the University of Bedfordshire, The University of Sheffield, Chiltern National Landscape, Be Active, The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire and Penrose Social Interest Group.
The project will focus on improving local green spaces and how people find and use them. That includes new signs, better marketing and physical upgrades, which will be designed in partnership with the community.
There are also plans to set up a new hub to support social prescribing, a scheme to help volunteers build experience and qualifications, and training programmes to help people gain new skills and improve wellbeing.
Councillor Hazel Simmons, Leader of Luton Council, said: “This is a hugely welcome investment that will help to bring more of our super-diverse communities close to nature and our town’s natural heritage. Luton has some outstanding green spaces, including award winning parks as well as meadows and other green corridors.
“This project will help to unlock access for thousands of residents while bringing tangible gains in wellbeing, skills and civic pride as well as ensuring nature recovery for the benefit of all our communities for years to come.”
