Friendly Parks for All
We are working to improve the impact, reach and quality of access to parks and open spaces in the borough to residents who experience barriers to access.
Currently the model is being developed in six parks:
- Barnes Green
- Cambridge Gardens
- Carlisle Park
- Ham Village Green
- Heathfield Recreation Ground
- Kneller Gardens
The model of accessible Friendly Parks for All has been developed in consultation with several local care charities in order to meet the needs of their clients.
The model includes:
- Additional seating and resting places
- Act of Kindness benches to encourage conversations between park users
- Improved paths and improved access, entrance/exit markers and a meeting point to aid navigation and help orientate yourself within the park
- Signage and routes marked with specially designed way finders
- Sensory trails
Seeds of Change
The Seeds of Change project aims to encourage more use of parks and open spaces by local people.
For more details see the Seeds of Change newsletter or contact Frances Bennett by email at outdoor.learning@outlook.com.
Accessibility guides
Accessibility guides have been developed for all five parks:
- Barnes Green
(pdf, 2.0 MB) - Carlisle Park (pdf, 1.4 MB)
- Ham Village Green (pdf, 586 KB)
- Heathfield Recreation Ground (pdf, 2.0 MB)
- Kneller Gardens (pdf, 1.7 MB)
Friendly Parks for All activities
As part of the Friendly Parks for All project there are free weekly activities held in one of the Friendly Parks.
There are also monthly accessible wellbeing walks held in association with local charities Ruils and Richmond Borough Mind.
See the current programme (pdf, 438 KB) or Habitats and Heritage events calendar for details.
Activities happening in 2024
- Accessible Wellbeing Walks 2024 (pdf, 756 KB)
- Wellbeing Walks 2024 (pdf, 239 KB)
- Friendly Parks for All activities 2024 (pdf, 127 KB)
- Litter Spring Challenge 2024 (pdf, 131 KB)
- Kneller Gardens All Ability Cycling (pdf, 206 KB)
Kneller Gardens activities
Kneller Gardens includes an accessible Sensory Trail and Tree Trail. These can be used by visitors to explore and become more familiar with the Park.
All Ability bike sessions are being run in Kneller Gardens, please see the above leaflet.
View leaflets for:
Carlisle Park Sensory Tree Trail
Carlisle Park includes an accessible Sensory Tree Trail, which allows visitors to navigate the park following the trail whilst getting to know more about the trees here.
Carlisle Park Sensory Tree Trail leaflet (pdf, 1.6 MB)
Heathfield Sensory Trail
Heathfield Recreation Ground includes an accessible Sensory Trail and Sensory Path. There are also plans for an outdoor gym suitable for older people and people with limited mobility.
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