Boris's Pocket Parks

Link to web site

"The Pocket Parks Programme is part of the Mayor’s London’s Great Outdoors - the initiative to improve streets, squares, parks, and canal and riverside spaces across London. It contributes to maintaining and improving London’s image as the world’s most green and liveable big city and highlights London’s offer as a city that can sustain economic growth. The Pocket Parks Programme aims to deliver 100 new or enhanced pocket parks across London by March 2015.

Pocket parks are small areas of inviting public space for all people to enjoy, providing relief from the hustle and bustle of the city. These spaces should have trees and greenery; they should be open to all; they should have places to sit and relax and for people to come together; and they should contribute to making the city friendlier, greener and more resilient.

Pocket parks should provide people with better quality spaces across London; increasing opportunities for coming together, relaxing and playing; for healthy living, and a little more contact with nature. They can also make a contribution to, amongst other things, conserving wildlife, growing food, cleaning the air, cooling the city and capturing storm water.

Grants of up to £50,000 are available to projects where a London Borough is the lead partner. The Pocket Parks Prospectus below contains more detail on this funding stream. The first round of applications is open until 7 January 2013, please download the application form to apply for a grant.

A separate funding stream for projects to support community groups to improve or restore a space will be available early in 2013.

The maps [on the web site] available to download below show open spaces for each borough, as well as areas currently deficient in access to pocket parks. These maps can be used to support your grant application.

The Pocket Parks fund cannot be used to upgrade or restore existing spaces that are in a poor state simply due to lack of maintenance. The fund aims to change the use of an underused space. This can include spaces with existing parks or green spaces provided the space is currently of limited value or function.

Capital Clean-up

In addition to our Pocket Parks Programme, the Mayor leads on Capital Clean-up, a partnership campaign which supports his Team London volunteering initiative.  Capital Clean-up contributes to the enhancement of our local environment through community engagement and participation in clean-up activities, ranging from litter picks and graffiti removal to waterway clean-ups, all helping to make our city, cleaner, greener and safer.  Find out how to Get Involved."