Funding and support for community organisations
We are here to support local community groups help shape local Parks, Play Areas and Green Space via Community Empowerment.
Through empowered collaboration, ‘Friends of Local Parks’ can help the Council to create vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable green spaces that enhance the quality of life for all East Lothian residents. Community empowerment is a key element for Friends of Local Parks within East Lothian, as it enables residents to actively engage in shaping and sustaining their local green spaces, aligned to the Council’s Open Space Strategy. This emphasises the importance of accessibility, ensuring that parks are welcoming and usable for everyone. Inclusiveness is a key focus, promoting diverse participation and ensuring that all community voices are heard and valued. By offering opportunities to be active for all ages, from play areas for children to walking trails for seniors, Friends of Local Parks projects help to foster intergenerational engagement and physical well-being. Moreover, retaining and enhancing green spaces is crucial for environmental sustainability, tackling the Climate and Nature Emergencies, and providing enriching retreats for the community.
If your group is interested in helping to shape local parks, we strongly recommend that you visit the Parks Community website before discussing your ideas with us. This is an excellent one-stop support shop for community empowerment in green spaces.
Visit the Parks Community website
Another point of contact for your group is the Volunteer Centre East Lothian (VCEL) who provide support and opportunities for voluntary organisations, social enterprises, individuals and volunteers across East Lothian.
Our nine-step guide to getting started
If you are interested in helping to enhance your local park or greenspace then please contact us first by emailing Landscape and Countryside to find out about any existing parks volunteer groups in your area and the type of projects that could enhance our parks and greenspaces.
The information below is intended as a guide for any new groups interested in setting up ‘Friends Of Parks’ groups and taking forward projects. Please always discuss your ideas with our Amenity Services team before taking any action in our parks and greenspaces.
- Contact our Amenity Services team by emailing Landscape and Countryside to discuss any project ideas.
- Establish a constituted ‘Friends of xxxxx Park' group that holds regular meetings.
- Discuss your ideas with our Amenity Services team to establish a shared vision for your amenity space
- Deliver a community consultation at the earliest stage to gauge local support, raise awareness and provide evidence in support of the need for your project.
- Develop a Feasibility Study (business plan) with the findings from the consultation. This key step will help share the project vision identify the potential impact of the project with the Community, Funders and Partners
- Fundraise for the project delivery costs. It is essential to include any potential ongoing maintenance costs of your project.
- Project co-ordinate the delivery of your project, liaising closely with us. Most facility projects will take somewhere from 1-3 years to deliver depending on size, planning requirements and costs.
- Maintenance plan (see below) to ensure that any new facility is looked after for the duration of its lifespan.
- It may be worth considering a repair / renewal fund so that these matters can be addressed in good order.
Some key factors which help establish a successful ‘Friends of' group
- the presence of a small number of key individuals with the vision, commitment and stamina to contribute to long term development and improvement
- strong and inclusive ‘leadership’ asserting the above values and showing by example
- having a long-term vision for the site and its various facilities/areas which those involved can buy into and work towards
- a welcoming approach which can attract a very broad range of local residents to become involved in a variety of roles
- building up a track record of securing funding and then delivering projects successfully
- close engagement and liaison with East Lothian Council