Case Study: Plains Country Park

Awarded: �126,000 over three years
Date awarded: 1998

Our grant provided a park ranger for a local country park which is run by volunteers from the local community. The community want the warden to increase visitor numbers to the park and provide some economic benefit to the area.

The number of visits to the park have been monitored. Nine primary schools made educational visits to the park bringing a total of 250 children. The local after-school club makes two visits per month bringing 45 children each time. Two hundred scouts and cubs make regular use of the park under the ranger's guidance. A ladies environmental circle made five visits to the park (45 people) and five disabled groups brought 50 people.

A real achievement was the setting up of a �90,000 training programme which is now underway in the park, involving 12 local unemployed people on a six month training course.

"Since the park ranger took up post, the park has developed from being a small local attraction into a major benefit to the community. The involvement of our group has also restored a pride in the village in our young people." - David Young, Group Leader