New research finds cities lack green spaces for children

New research finds cities lack green spaces for children

· Over half of parents dissatisfied with green spaces available in cities

· AI imagery shows the diversity of green spaces that city-dwellers want to see

· Bupa Foundation unlocks £750,000 in ‘green grants’ for schools, charities and community groups to improve health and wellbeing in urban areas

· Countryfile’s Helen Skelton visits community projects to support campaign

New research released by leading health provider Bupa finds around 1 in 5 children from major UK cities grow up without a garden and 1 in 4 go to a school with no green space at all.

The research polled the views of more than 2,000 adults in UK cities about their access and views on green space. The majority of parents reported that spending time in green space improves their child’s behaviour; including their mood, social skills and concentration. But despite this, over half of parents (52%) are unsatisfied with the green spaces available in their city. More than half of children cannot locally access natural environments like rivers (58%) and woodland (52%) and marshes (75%).

When looking at the health benefits of green spaces, over 95% of people surveyed said that green space improves their mood and reduces anxiety. Now those living in cities want to see greater diversity of green spaces in the future, such as nature trails for children, wildlife ponds, forests, sensory gardens and wild swimming centres or lidos.

During June, schools, community groups and charities are being encouraged to apply for Bupa Foundation Green Community Grants of up to £2000 to fund green projects, aiming to directly benefit 200,000 people including children and teenagers living in the UK’s biggest cities.

Plot E17 Community Orchard is one example of how a Bupa Foundation Green Grant is directly benefitting those living in the Walthamstow area. The plot has a secure shed, workshops, and a group dining space. “Now local people can visit and help to grow food as a community, eat together and sit under the canopies for a moment of calm in a busy area of East London,” explains the project leader Maureen Schipper.

In the north of England, Helen Skelton, ambassador for Bupa’s Healthy Cities campaign, is visiting some projects that had benefitted from Bupa Foundation Green Grants, including community gardens, a wildlife pond and a forest school. She said: “Everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy green space every day, which is why I am supporting Bupa’s initiative to drive a ‘green’ wave of change across UK cities – project by project, inch by inch. I have visited some of the fantastic Bupa funded projects to find out how they will be changing lives for those living in northern cities – their work is so important.”

Carlos Jaureguizar, CEO for Bupa Global, India & UK said: “Everyone should have access to green space. It supports mental and physical health and is vital for our planet’s long-term health. We are already seeing the impact the Bupa Foundation’s Green Grants: from providing gardening therapy to people going through cancer in Abercynon, to establishing an urban farm in Edinburgh and providing outdoor classrooms in Brighton; these projects are improving lives and bringing happiness to communities. Our survey found that 94% of those who live in cities ‘care deeply’ about the health of their urban space and we urge all schools, charities and local groups across the UK to apply for a Green Grant.”

Applications for up to £2,000 to fund green projects are now open. For more information about the Healthy Cities campaign and how to apply for the Green Community Grants, visit https://www.groundwork.org.uk/bupa-foundation-green-grants/. The Bupa Foundation will unlock £750,000 to support green projects from across the UK, such as outdoor classrooms, sensory gardens, food banks, allotments, playgrounds and other green space improvements.