National Lottery's Winning Ticket for Preston

The National Lottery hasn’t just created millionaires since the first balls were drawn in November 1994. It has also played a major role as a charity and benefactor throughout the United Kingdom.

Preston has not been left out. The city has benefited enormously from the riches on offer from Lottery bodies such as the Arts Council, New Opportunities Fund and Sport England.

A total of 623 grants at a cost of over £85 million pounds have been bestowed in the 14 years since Noel Edmunds drew the first winning numbers.

This has covered a diverse range of projects from the National Football Museum in Deepdale, new attractions in Haslam Park, Ashton, to bankrolling after school activities at Moor Park High School.

For 10 examples of Lottery funded projects in Preston, please look at my map below:


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That's What Friends Are For

Green Flag Award

Haslam Park's award winning landscape could disappear as Preston council's penny pinching forces volunteer groups to step up to the plate.


With the credit crunch biting into their budget, less money is available for maintenance work.

Park ranger Paul Lampkin listed the changes: “We’ve had to cut down the number of playground inspections we carry out, sack a few gardeners and turn some flowerbeds into grass to lower maintenance costs.”

An ability to generate funds from bodies like the National Lottery and North West Development Agency is affected by the drop as Preston Council often matches their donations.

This will not happen as frequently in the future. Councillor Alan Lester Hackett, chair of the council’s environment review panel, explained: “Budget problems could hamper any bids for funding as the council has less money to match what is being spent.”

Mr Lampkin is worried this could snatch Haslam's award winning status away: "I hope it will remain a Green Flag park, but we can't be certain."

'An Invaluable Help'

It isn’t all bad news. After the success of the National Lottery bank rolled sensory garden, the Friends of the Park won a new grant in the last few weeks for a gazebo and trolley aide. This provides the group with the tools to continue carrying out maintenance and development work.

They are also working on plans to erect an outdoor gym for adults, build paths around the nature reserve and create better access from the Lancaster canal.

With the council unable to fulfil their previous obligations as funds dry up, this is essential for Haslam Park to remain a Green Flag attraction.

Ashton councillor William Tyson hailed the work of the Friends: “They’ve done a smashing job on the garden, it looks fantastic. They really have been an invaluable help.”

I met the secretary of the Friends of Haslam Park, Jean Foran, to discuss this:



Anyone wishing to contact the Friends of Haslam Park should phone the park ranger on 01772 725 203

Budget Cuts

Preston’s award winning parks will be relying on even more help from volunteer groups next year as budget cuts kick in.

Councillor Anthony Gornall, cabinet member for Environment and Regeneration for the council, has announced that slashes will be made.

Speaking after the meeting where the final figure was decided last Thursday, Councillor Gornall said: “The budget for 2008/09 will be just £2.75 million, down from £3 million in 2007/08.”

He added: “We’ll have to think everything out that we do and we’ll have to be smart with our money. This will definitely limit our development work.”

Green Flag Awards

The city currently boasts five Green Flag winning parks: Haslam Park, Avenham Park, Miller Park, Grange Park and Fishwick Recreation Ground.
Haslam Park
This national award is handed out by the Civic Trust every year to those that offer the highest standard of accessibility, safety, environment, security and activities.

Large amounts of money and time must be lavished to be eligible. In the recession, Preston may struggle to continue its excellent record.

Cllr Gornall has called on volunteer groups to step up to the plate in the face of the fiscal squeeze: “Independent groups will need to raise funds themselves. We do offer pots of money for them to bid for but new restraints will mean that not as much money is available.”

Friends of the Park

Funds from the National Lottery and North West Development Agency will be called on. At the forefront of the charge for cash are the Friends of the Park group’s. This charity network represents individual parks by organising community events to raise funds and to plan and carry out improvements.

In Ashton, the Friends have played a major role in Haslam Park’s regeneration by raising £80,000 from the council and the Environment Agency. The ‘sensory garden’ that opened in September also came about after a £10,000 National Lottery donation.
Appeal for new Friends of Haslam Park volunteers
There are other groups set up for Ashton, Grange, Ribbleton, Avenham and Miller Park’s.

Preston council are planning to stimulate further interest by awarding new projects to the best run group. Cllr Gornall said: “In the next few months we’ll be asking Preston’s different Friends group’s to bid for a new skate park. This will be rewarded to the one that is the best organised and offers the most impressive bid.”

This is the future for the city as it attempts to maintain its park's in the face of a decreasing council budget.