For a Greener Milton Keynes: The Parks Trust Community First Fund

Fund Overview

The fund was created on the principle that well-maintained green spaces are vital not only for environmental sustainability but also for the wellbeing and recreational enjoyment of Milton Keynes’ communities.

It focuses on three key areas:

• Biodiversity: Protecting and enhancing the rich natural environments of Milton Keynes
  
  
• Education: Promoting knowledge about parks, biodiversity, horticulture, and arboriculture
  
  
• Recreation: Supporting the development of recreational facilities that inspire outdoor enjoyment

The Parks Trust Fund helps to ensure that the green spaces throughout Milton Keynes continue to flourish.

Whether it’s enhancing a local park or teaching future generations about the importance of sustainability, the fund is valuable for enabling local charities and groups to deliver projects that sustain both nature and the local community.

Fund Objectives and Criteria:

The Parks Trust Community First Fund is dedicated to supporting projects that enrich the natural and recreational landscape of Milton Keynes.

This includes projects that:

• Preserve, maintain, and enhance green spaces: Whether enhancing new spaces or ensuring existing ones continue to flourish, projects that protect and equip the city’s green spaces are at the heart of the fund’s mission.
  
  
• Advance public education: The fund seeks to support programmes that inspire the community to connect with nature. These could include educational initiatives around parks, horticulture, biodiversity, or arboriculture (the care of trees)—helping people of all ages better understand and appreciate the natural world around them.
  
  
• Provide facilities for recreation and leisure: From creating walking trails to animating spaces, the fund prioritises projects that encourage outdoor activities, ensuring the community has and utilises accessible, well-maintained spaces for recreation and relaxation.

How to Apply for the Parks Trust Fund

If you’re a local charity or community group which has a project that aligns with the fund’s objectives, we invite you to apply for funding through our website. With a straightforward application process, the Parks Trust Community First Fund is ready to support projects that will make a lasting difference in Milton Keynes' green spaces.  

*Priority is given to projects that take place within or involve visits to parkland managed by The Parks Trust.

Impact of the Parks Trust Fund

Milton Keynes Islamic Arts and Culture Organisation (MKIAC)

Funding Amount: £3,000

To celebrate local heroes (particularly key workers) from diverse backgrounds, bring communities together and help people regain confidence to participate in communal activities following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thanks to the Parks Trust Fund, MKIAC was able to offer a safe and inspiring environment for creative workshops during the vibrant spring months. These workshops culminated in a lively parade, celebrating the rich and diverse cultures of Milton Keynes, creating a deep sense of belonging and strengthening community bonds.

The creative outputs from these sessions were proudly showcased at the Art in the Park event - a cornerstone celebration for the city, bringing together people from all walks of life to enjoy and appreciate the arts in Milton Keynes’ beautiful Campbell Park.

“We enjoyed the amount of people in the park and parading through the middle of them, that had a really nice vibe. I don’t think I’ve ever been involved in something so full and thriving.”

Two Mile Ash Environmental Group

Funding Amount: £5,601

To fund The Bluebell Circuit in Two Mile Ash - a new walking route that increased access to nature through the construction of an 11-meter footbridge and woodland footpaths.

A £5,601 Community Grant enabled the Two Mile Ash Environmental Group (TMAEG) to transform a five-year community vision into a reality. The new footbridge has provided long-lasting benefits to the local community by improving access to nature and linking together a series of existing routes.

Reflecting on the project, TMAEG noted the contrast between the five years it took to agree planning and the design of the project, with the fast construction of the foundations, the structure of the bridge, and woodland pathways which were achieved in just over 12 weeks.

“My wife and I have lived in Two Mile Ash for over 35 years […], In this time we have made use of every conceivable combination of local walks, so the Bluebell Wood extension, would be hugely appreciated. We are both now beyond middle 70s in age, so greater varieties of ‘expeditions’ are most welcome. We are both enthusiastic bird watchers and both enjoy wild flowers and plants not usually seen from the usual ‘urban’ type walks’, we support this application.”