At a Horsham District Council Cabinet meeting on 20 November senior councillors agreed to work with the Fields in Trust organisation to assess the viability of placing Horsham Park into trust under a scheme that they manage, in order to protect the park in perpetuity to ensure long term accessibility of the Park for the local community.
Fields in Trust is a British charity which was set up in 1925 as the National Playing Fields Association. It protects parks and green spaces and promotes the cause of accessible spaces for play, sports and recreation in British cities and towns.
Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture Cllr David Skipp commented:
It's widely acknowledged that having easy access to outdoor space and being able to exercise there has many mental and physical benefits for individuals and families.
We are really pleased that we are now considering the Fields in Trust scheme and looking to protect Horsham Park which is a key and much-loved green space in the middle of Horsham town.
We will work with them to explore how best to preserve the Park for the benefit of our residents and the natural environment.