Warning: support Sheffield's community parks and spaces or risk losing them

As more public buildings and spaces are sold off and lost, national community network Locality urges everyone to support their local amenities, and visit places such as Heeley People’s Park, to keep them open.

Heeley People’s Park is the largest community run park in the country and a flagship model for community management of green space. Just weeks ago, it was the venue for the highly successful Big Boulder Music and Arts Festival, when crowds gathered to enjoy music, entertainment and all kinds of food.

Community venues also offer refuge during disasters and emergencies, and host events and shows, bringing people together in good and bad times.

Locality is shining a spotlight on the places and people helping local communities this festive season.

Tony Armstrong, CEO of Locality said: “We want to highlight the crucial work happening across the country and celebrate the many wonderful community assets.

“The sad fact is that more and more public buildings and spaces are continuing to be sold or shut because of cuts to local authority budgets. This Christmas, we want to highlight how vital these places are - they are the glue that holds many communities together.”

Locality recently launched its ‘Places & Spaces – The future of community asset ownership’ paper, calling for a £1bn fund to support communities to take ownership of public land and buildings at risk, and ensure vital services do not become a tale of Christmas past.

Mr Armstrong continued:“This funding is vital. Not only would this prevent iconic community buildings from being lost for good but offers a huge opportunity to empower communities, reshape public services and regenerate local economies.

“The concern is that people will not realise what they have got until it is gone.”

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