Love Parks Week is running from the 24 July to – 2 August to encourage you to visit, enjoy and take pride in your local parks and green spaces, because parks and green spaces are essential to healthy, happy and strong communities. Kent has more than 200 parks and open spaces, from lazy riverbanks to action packed play areas, find a corner of greenery near you. Most of the Love Parks week events are free so it’s a great start to the school holidays for families.

Want to find out more about your local park go to: explorekent.org

Parks and open spaces supports our Six Ways to Wellbeing Campaign by: Being Active, Keep Learning (about the park and wildlife), Connecting (with others), Taking Notice and by supporting the park and environment Care for the planet so you will have it hit six of your five a day!

Here are Ten Park Facts…

1. 91% of people believe that public parks and open spaces improve their quality of life.
2. A brisk walk every day, in your local park, can reduce the risk of heart attacks by 50%, strokes by 50%, diabetes by 50%, fracture of the femur by 30%, colon cancer by 30%, breast cancer by 30% and Alzheimer’s by 25%.
3. Air quality, air temperature, water and flood management, are all kept within manageable limits because of parks and green spaces.
4. The more often a person visits urban open green spaces, the less often he or she will report stress-related illnesses.
5. Outdoor play and adventure can increase levels of physical activity and fitness, activate higher cognitive processes and healthy brain development.
6. Elderly people who have close access to a place where they can relax and enjoy nature, show significantly greater satisfaction with where they live.
7. The number one ranked issue for good parks and public spaces is that they give a sense of community.
8. Owners of small companies rank recreation, parks and open spaces as the highest priority in choosing a new location for their business.
9. Over 10% of the population choose to use their local green spaces daily.
10. Over 50% of us visit a park at least once a week, to improve physical - and mental - health, to enhance our closest relationships, to chill out, to interact with our communities and to have a good time.

• To find out more go to Love Parks Week: www.loveparksweek.org
• Want to find out more about your local park go to: explorekent.org
• To search for events in Love Parks week follow the link: www.loveparksweek.org/content/whats