Who Supports the Manifesto?

Read through some of the comments we have received so far... You can add your own comments when you sign up

English Heritage, the Royal Horticultural Society, the Eden Project, English Nature, the National Trust, the Ramblers, Groundwork, the Women's Institute, Arup Associates, BTCV, Dan Pearson Studio, the Design Commission for Wales, GreenSpace, Institute of Horticulture, the Civic Trust, the Royal Parks and the RSPB are just a few of the hundreds of organisations to have signed up already.

Here are some of the comments we have received so far from the many more hundreds of private individuals who have signed up to support the Manifesto...

"... Every child deserves to be able to run around and stretch themselves physically in a safe environment. And that doesn't mean a park where you can never fall, bump into anything or climb above knee level - where's the fun in that?"

"… More people interact and meet in open spaces than in any other space. We need more attractive open spaces. Italy and Spain have them we should follow suit. When I look out the window I don't want to see a rubbish dump but attractive open well lit & maintained green & urban open space. Birmingham City centre has got it spot on, where they have business execs, students, homeless people, tourists, commuters, office workers, kids, mothers etc all using the same space because it’s well laid out, planned and attractive for all, but most importantly links all areas of the city together like a pedestrian highway network."

"Apart from the local pub, it is the hub of the community, it's where friends are made, children play and explore, young people hang out, dog walkers poop and scoop (hopefully!) and the older generation can just relax on a bench and watch the world go by. Nature should abound even in the most urban areas for all to enjoy and let's face it everyone needs a place to escape to! I live in a deprived urban estate and our park needs urgent care and attention, it has so much potential but is seriously neglected and because of this underused and abused. "

"As a landscape architect, I am involved daily with the design of new public spaces. However, it is heartbreaking to see these spaces degenerate over subsequent years due to the lack of commitment to their maintenance."

"I think the design of public space can have a very positive effect on people's mental state / health. If cities are not designed for the people who live in them, who are they designed for? "

"I've just come back from Berlin, which is full of open green spaces. It was wonderful - clean, friendly places to hang out, within an urban place. Makes such a difference. "

"It provides a place to walk, to run, to sit, to talk, to eat, to drink, to play, to sleep, to sunbathe, to exercise, to work, to study, and to meet people. It provides the perfect outdoor classroom, office, gym, restaurant and meeting place…."

"Without good quality parks and public spaces urban living would not be such an attractive prospect. The 30 million people who use them can’t be wrong."

"I believe that the well-being of a community can be measured by the quality and maintenance of local public spaces. Poor provision & maintenance gives the message to communities that the authorities do not care about them. This is the beginning of a downward spiral, which eventually leads to the ghettoisation of communities. The 'broken window' syndrome is not some nebulous social theory - it actually accurately describes the process of the degradation of local communities. Politicians and local authorities have consistently failed local communities for as long as I can remember by cutting maintenance budgets year on year. I believe we have at the same time witnessed a corresponding reduction in the quality of neighbourhood life. This trend has to be reversed and I personally believe that it will take a long time to reverse the negative affects on society of such a prolonged period of under investment."

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