‘London’s parks and green spaces have been a lifeline for so many throughout the pandemic’

• THE government is clear you should minimise time spent outside your home, but you can leave your home to exercise.

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a garden, and there are few places where people can go outside to get a change of scene and to boost their physical and mental wellbeing.

Unprecedented numbers of city-dwellers are turning once again to London’s parks and green spaces.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, these green spaces have stayed open, they’re free to everyone who needs them, and they’ve been a lifeline for many. Put simply, a walk in the park makes us feel better.

As the custodians of some of London’s key public spaces, we know our staff are working hard to keep them beautiful and to provide a safe refuge for visitors during the height of lockdown.

We know how important these spaces are but it is a challenge to deal with the vast numbers of people visiting.

Unavoidably some parts of the parks can become more congested than others, so it is crucial that everyone accepts personal responsibility for protecting themselves and others when they visit.

To this end we strongly encourage you to follow the current government guidance on “hands, face, space”, particularly in crowded areas.

We ask that everyone shows respect, for the needs of other visitors, for the landscapes of the parks, and for the staff working so hard to keep the parks open.

For the next few weeks, we urge you to leave your cars behind and seek out those parks and green spaces closest to home, if you can.

Please do the right thing, play your part and help protect others. Thank you to all our visitors who have been following government guidance and sticking to the rules.

London’s parks and green spaces have been a lifeline for so many throughout the pandemic, and they remain here for everyone who needs them now and in the future.

ANDREW SCATTERGOOD
Chief Executive
The Royal Parks

COLIN BUTTERY
Director of Open Spaces
City of London

SHAUN DAWSON
Chief Executive
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority