Public Health Dorset is encouraging residents in Bournemouth to help improve their own wellbeing while giving love and attention to the parks and open spaces in the area.

Parks in Mind is a project funded by Public Health Dorset and run by Bournemouth Parks Foundation in partnership with Bournemouth Borough Council. It also receives backing from the Postcode Lottery and the National Lottery Community Fund.

The aim of the project is to improve the local parks and green spaces for people and wildlife with the help of volunteers who want to get active, meet new people and give back to their community.

The project has a focus on parks in Boscombe and the town centre and, over time, hopes to grow to other greenspaces in Bournemouth.

Peter Holloway, Project Team Leader said: “This project is for anyone in the Bournemouth area to come and help revamp the parks and open spaces while improving their own fitness and wellbeing.

“Research has shown that being outside in nature improves health and wellbeing. This is why we have created Parks in Mind.”

Those who come along get to meet new people, visit a park that perhaps they have never been to before, keep active and improve their wellbeing. There are also benefits to the wider community as people get to enjoy the enhanced spaces.

Bournemouth Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health Cllr Jane Kelly said: “Improving the health and wellbeing of our residents is really important to us. It is great that a scheme such as Parks in Mind in available in our area.

“I can’t wait to see the transformation of Boscombe’s parks thanks to the hard work that the volunteers and Bournemouth Parks Foundation have put in to the project.”

Find out more about Parks in Mind activities.