Our vision

The Forum exists to champion quality and sustainable green spaces throughout the region that improve the quality of life for our residents and enhance visitor experience.

The Forum’s objectives are broad and can be achieved both through the work of the membership and the influence the Forum can impress on other organisations. Four broad areas of work include advice to members, advocacy, reaching out to park users and cross boundary partnership working.

Our objectives

The Forum has broad objectives covering the four main areas of:-

• Advice to members
The Forum should become the conduit for important information and the latest in best practice. It should be able to give guidance and advice to members on key issues and provide early warnings of new initiatives and funding regimes.

• Advocacy
The Forum, through its working groups and other mechanisms, should be able to gather and channel member’s views on the key issues and represent these to the policy makers. By speaking with a united voice, the views of the local authority members, associated friends of park groups and others responsible for the management and/or development of Yorkshire & the Humber’s green spaces will be more clearly heard.

• Reaching Out to Park Users
Pivotal to the Forum’s role is the two-way exchange of information and ideas. The forum has the opportunity to harness, for the first time the influence of a huge number of park users across Yorkshire & the Humber including the 1000s of friends of park groups. The Forum will also communicate directly through media campaigns.

• Cross Boundary and Partnership Working
The Forum will aim to facilitate and encourage the exchange of information, sharing of good practice and establishment of partnerships within and across boundaries with the aim of raising the standards of green and open spaces throughout Yorkshire & the Humber.

The aims and objectives of the Forum are to:-

• Be the representative body for parks and green spaces in the Yorkshire & the Humber region.

• Promote and support the value, regeneration, management and sustainable future of parks and green spaces in the Yorkshire & the Humber region.

• Raise the quality standard of parks and green spaces in Yorkshire & the Humber to reflect the needs and aspirations of all residents and visitors.

• Increase the usage of green spaces and improve their value to the whole community

• Promote and support the role of Yorkshire & the Humber’s parks and green spaces in cross cutting themes such as health and well being, liveability, sustainability, safer and stronger communities, environment, education, employment, training, young people, culture, quality of life and regeneration.

• Promote a strategic approach to the planning and management of parks and green spaces, including the development of consistent data collection and performance indicators.

• Develop and maintain a network of members for the exchange of expertise, experience and information.

• Identify, promote and disseminate good practice in planning, design, management and maintenance of parks and green spaces in Yorkshire & the Humber.

• Advocate the case for improved capital and revenue funding for parks and green spaces in local authority budgets and national spending reviews.

• Promote higher standards of education, skills and training for those responsible for planning, managing and maintaining parks and green spaces.

• Promote and support community involvement in the continuing development of parks and green spaces.

The forum's status

GreenSpace Yorkshire & the Humber is an unincorporated association, formed by a consortium of strategic partners.

The Forum is linked to the national organisation GreenSpace, which provides management support and is the employing organisation for the Forum’s staff.

GreenSpace is a charity and a company limited by guarantee