London Boroughs of Camden and Islington
Parks for Health
There is nothing more important than people’s health, and there has not been a time in living memory when health has been so important.
Parks can have a key role in safeguarding and improving residents’ health and reducing health inequalities. Building on the increased usage of parks in lockdown to improve health and wellbeing, the Parks for Health project offers the opportunity to make this a reality. The project sits squarely in borough plans: Camden 2025 and Building A Fairer Islington: Our Commitment 2018-22.
In this deep dive session senior officers share how they repositioned green spaces, in both boroughs, as health infrastructure. (38 mins)
About the project
The Parks for Health vision is that
Camden and Islington’s public parks and green spaces are used, enjoyed and maintained as health assets for the whole community.
Everyone feels welcome in parks. More people than ever before visit and stay for longer – enjoying nature and taking part in activities which make them healthy and happy.
Parks are places where people can come together, or spend time alone, be active or pause and reflect.
Parks are at the heart of community life.
The Parks for Health project have been developing plans across this vision and want to share their learning and plans as it progresses. They are producing a series of blogs and vlogs which are available below. Follow them here and help shape the learning.
The project aims to
Maximise the contribution of parks to prevention of ill health, early intervention and promotion of wellbeing by prioritising these five health impacts:
1. Improved social cohesion
2. Less isolation
3. Increased physical health
4. Better mental health and wellbeing
5. Reduced health inequalities
Parks for Health has set programme-wide strategic objectives for delivery:
1. Increase and diversify the use of parks by different groups.
2. Strengthen the case for investment in parks for community health and wellbeing benefit.
3. Develop and evaluate a Parks for Health model, incorporating a ‘Universal Offer’ and a ‘Targeted Offer’, including a comprehensive Green Social Prescribing offer.
4. Maximise local partnership-working between parks, NHS, social care, VCS and others to improve health and reduce health inequalities.
5. Contribute to Covid19 recovery.
Workstreams and cross-cutting activities together contribute to these during the Transition period-laying the foundations for ensuing years.
“Walking to Camden’s green spaces with a group of local residents I had never met before four weeks ago has changed my life and changed me”
(Green Social Prescribing participant)
People sat on grass in Bloomsbury Square
Three women jogging in a park.
Clocktower in Caledonian Park.
Parks for Health blogs
