BOURNEMOUTH Parks Foundation has launched a fundraising drive to help them improve the town's green spaces.

The charity says parks helped take care of people at the height of lockdown, and now it is time for people to help take care of them.

Cathi (CORRECT) Farrer, Bournemouth Parks Foundation manager, said: "Our parks and open spaces have really taken care us during lockdown and have been a lifeline to lots of our community members as part of their daily exercise.

“We know that spending time in our parks, whether that be walking, exercising, reading or playing, reduces our anxiety and depression.

"That time has been calculated to save the NHS £111m per year in reduced GP visits alone.

"Even something as simple as exercising outside has been found to be better for us than exercising indoors."

The foundation is a small charity that works in partnership with BCP Council to 'enhance parks and open spaces across Bournemouth'.

Experts at the charity believe parks had a positive impact on improving physical and mental health during lockdown.

Cathi (CORRECT) said: “It’s now our opportunity to take care of our parks by donating to our fundraising appeal.

"Money raised will be used for ongoing improvement of parks, to provide more wildflower planting, for bee, butterfly and bug hotels, and for our improved good health.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Felicity Rice, portfolio holder for environment and climate change at BCP Council, said: "Bournemouth Parks Foundation is a really inspirational charity, aimed at putting parks and wellbeing back into the centre of our residents’ lives and developing parks into places that we grow up loving.

"We all know that councils are struggling with funding cuts, and over recent decades parks and open spaces have been severely affected due to lack of investment.

"This is a way of donating directly to where you want to see improvements made, tacking the climate emergency and protecting our parks and open spaces for future generations.”

People can donate online at www.bournemouthparksfoundation.org.uk/appeals/help-us-do-more-for-nature/or by using one of two contactless donation points in Bournemouth’s Lower Gardens (at the aviary and near The Pavilion) or a third located near the Visitor Centre at Hengistbury Head.