Scott Ferguson (Chair) Expand Scott is Project Coordinator for the Seven Lochs Project, an ambitious greenspace / green network project focussed on the creation and sustainable management of the Seven Lochs Wetland Park, Scotland largest urban nature park, which spans the Glasgow City / North Lanarkshire Council boundary between Easterhouse, Coatbridge and Stepps. Scott began his career in environmental science, gaining a PhD in acidification of uplands, before moving into the city to work on greenspace planning and management, urban biodiversity and community involvement in environmental action and learning. He previously worked for Scottish Natural Heritage and the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership.
Alistair Wylie (Vice-Chair) Expand Alistair is the founder of a multi-disciplinary education consultancy operating internationally but based in Scotland. Most recently, he has worked with the federal government in Abu Dhabi, UAE within the Ministry of Education managing areas related to accreditation, regulation and quality. Alistair previously worked in Scottish education for over 25 years and was Head of Service (Qualifications) at the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) where he had responsibility for Technology, Engineering, Construction and Creative subjects covering both the school and vocational areas. In addition, he had responsibility for significant regulated qualifications activity across the rest of the UK market and internationally. Although originally destined for a career in accountancy, he turned his attention to education and completed his postgraduate teacher training in Business Studies and Economics at Jordanhill College before starting his teaching career in secondary schools. He progressed to teaching in further and higher education for 10 years before joining SQA in 2004 as a National Manager. Over the course of 20 years, he has written and published more than 15 educational textbooks for Hodder Gibson. He is a graduate of the University of Strathclyde and the University of Stirling and has an on-going passion for all things related to education, qualifications and assessment. His other board commitments include committee work for TAICEP and Interim Chair of the Board of SSERC. Outside of work, Alistair enjoys keeping fit by cycling and taking long walks with his dog. He also takes an active interest in the educational progress of his nieces and nephews.
Kathryn Hall (Co-Finance Director) Expand Kathryn is an Associate Sustainability Consultant with Arup, a global collective of designers, engineering and sustainability consultants, advisors and experts dedicated to sustainable development. She supports clients to develop impactful sustainability and net zero strategies to deliver positive environmental and social outcomes. Prior to joining Arup, and changing career, Kathryn worked within homeless and youth support services where she provided intensive support to at risk and vulnerable young people transition to independent living, as well as in advocacy roles supporting young people to participate in dialogue leading to change relating to local service provision, policy and planning.
Mark Graham (Co-Finance Director) Expand Mark is an Investment Manager for Evelyn Partners, the UK’s leading integrated wealth management and professional services group, and is based in Glasgow. He has been in the role since early 2015, and manages investment portfolios for a wide variety of clients across the UK. Mark works closely with Charities and Social Enterprises as part of his role, helping them to navigate their finances and appropriately invest any excess reserves. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment and also holds the CFA Certificate in ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) Investing, and works with his clients to ensure that investment portfolios are managed in line with any ESG preferences and restrictions. Prior to this role, Mark worked for Barclays in an operations role, and is originally a Mathematics graduate with a Masters in International Banking, Finance & Risk. Outside of work, Mark enjoys visiting the various parks around Scotland with his wife and young children, and is passionate about improving access to parks and greenspaces for all.
Who can apply for a grant? Expand Applications can only be accepted from local authorities. We anticipate many Councils will be working with Friends and other community groups and third sector organisations, and we welcome applications led by Councils on behalf of wider partnerships.
What funds can we apply for? Expand This programme is specifically for Regional and Country Parks You can apply for a grant of up to £40k per Council to support tree planting in Regional and/or Country Parks. This can be for one park or support activity in several parks. For some parks, it is anticipated this funding will be used to provide an uplift and add value to tree and woodland planting which is already planned and/or underway. In other areas, it may support new tree planting plans and activity. There will be a rapid turnaround of grant applications to enable planting to be undertaken by 31 March 2023. The grant can be used to cover the costs of preparation, purchase, planting, or other related cost of tree planting. There are no restrictions on types of tree or size – it is important that the right trees are planted in the right places - with the emphasis on planting native species. In some parks, there may be opportunities to support planting in areas which experienced significant tree loss and damage during Storm Arwen, in other areas the focus may be on increasing canopy cover, climate adaptation and resilience, biodiversity enhancement and naturalising greenspace management. There is potential for planting of fruit trees and community orchards to be supported. We are also open to exploring flexible and creative approaches to tree planting outwith the current planting season so long as funds are fully committed by 31 March 2023.
What can we apply for? Expand You can apply for a revenue grant of up to £35k per Council to support the development of action plans for nature restoration in parks, plus up to £6k per Council to support quick-win actions. This can include approaches to naturalise horticultural, grassland and wetland management in parks. The revenue funding can be used flexibly and could, for example, cover expert input from ecologist and landscape professionals, for surveys and plans, as well as for community engagement. The grant cannot be used for staffing costs unless this is new and/or additional to existing resources and will be used specifically to develop and deliver the proposed project. The quick-win funding can also be deployed flexibly to support development and implementation of the action plan(s). This could include purchase and sowing/planting of wildflower seeds, plug plants and trees; equipment and machinery to support changing management practices (including shared equipment purchases between two or more Councils); signage, interpretation and other comms assets to support communication and engagement. The case study provided by Dundee City Council illustrates the type of strategic approach that could be supported by this funding. Activities supported by this grant could also inform future work by Councils on Nature Networks and projects that might be taken forward using Nature Restoration Funds, as well as supporting the outcomes of the recently published Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.
How many applications can a Council submit? Expand We will only accept one application from each Council for each grant programme and so we request that departments and colleagues discuss and agree the project(s) to be included in the application.
Rona Gibb Expand Rona has worked at Paths for All for 20 years and is a Senior Manager looking after the Community Paths, Policy and, Communication teams. Rona has had a successful 33 year career within the public and third sectors in Scotland. She was seconded to the Scottish Government for 14 months in 2013 to help develop the National Walking Strategy(NWS) and facilitates the NWS Delivery Forum. She started her career as a Countryside Ranger in local authorities; was a Senior Tutor at a Field Centre in Perthshire; managed a European funded interpretive project across the Highlands and Islands and later became the Access Manager in Argyll and Bute. She has also worked with the British Council in Brazil developing community based interpretive projects. Throughout Rona’s working life the focus has been on getting people outside, active and enjoying their environment.
What is the timescale and process for applications? Expand Expressions of interest must be submitted by 12 noon on Monday 30 January 2023. Shortlisted applications will be contacted by Thursday 2 February and asked to provide further details by Monday 13 February. Grant offers will be made by Monday 20 February 2023.
How do I submit Expression of Interest? Expand Expressions of interest must be submitted via the web form. You can access a pdf of the questions included on the EoI form here A word doc is also available here to assist you in drafting your application - the text will then need to be copied and pasted into the web form.
How do I submit an Expression of Interest? Expand Expressions of interest must be submitted via the web form. You can access a pdf of the questions included on the EoI Form here A word doc is also available here to assist you in drafting your application - you must then copy and paste your text into the web form.
What additional information will be required for full application? Expand Only projects shortlisted from the Expression of Interest process will be invited to submit a full application. The questions included in the full application can be viewed here
What additional information will be required for a full application? Expand Only projects shortlisted from the Expression of Interest process will be invited to submit a full application. The questions included in the full application can be viewed here
Is match-funding required? Expand You do not need to have match funding to apply to this grant programme, although we encourage you to include it if it helps you achieve better value against the programmes outcomes.
When must the project be completed? Expand The project must be complete (or substantially complete and all funds committed) by 31 March 2023. We are open to exploring flexible and creative approaches to tree planting outwith the current planting season so long as funds are fully committed by 31 March 2023.
When must the project complete? Expand The project must be complete (or substantially complete and all funds committed) by 31 July 2023.
Dr Emilie Wadsworth Expand Emilie has worked in the environmental sector for over 20 years, primarily in the third sector, and has generated a wealth of experience in biodiversity and ecological issues, place-making, blue green infrastructure and climate adaptation and resilience, particularly around nature-based solutions to flooding. Emilie currently works for Verture, a sustainability charity who fosters collaboration across sectors and places to ensure transformation towards a flourishing and fairer future for all in a changing climate, and leads the organisations work on flood resilience. In previous roles, Emilie was programme manager of several major environmental initiatives, including the Central Scotland Green Network, Europes’ largest green infrastructure programme; and the 10,000 Raingardens for Scotland programme.
Prof Rich Mitchell Expand Rich Mitchell is Professor of Health and Environment at the University of Glasgow and is also co-director of the Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Health (CRESH), an inter-institution and interdisciplinary centre focused on how physical and social environments influence population health, for better and for worse. In his early career Rich focused on monitoring and exploring social and geographical differences in health. Over time however, he became more interested in how health can be protected than in what damages it, and in how social and geographical gaps in health might be addressed. He subsequently developed an extensive programme of research on the health benefits of urban green spaces and is author and co-author of multiple key studies in this field. After a degree and PhD in geography at the University of Southampton, Rich moved to London for post-doc work and training in public health and epidemiology. Following a research jobs at the Universities of Bristol, Leeds, Sheffield and Edinburgh, he joined the University of Glasgow in 2007, eventually leading the Public Health group. In 2017 he joined the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit to lead the Places and Health programme. Rich also served for several years on the board of Paths For All, a charity which champions everyday walking for a happier, healthier Scotland.
Claire Mennim Expand Claire is Greenspace Projects Manager at North Lanarkshire Council. Claire heads up the Country Parks for the Future program in North Lanarkshire which, over the next ten years will be transforming three country parks into vibrant, healthy spaces for everyone. Her love of parks started at an early age and she passionately believes that whether they are pocket parks or cover hundreds of acres, Natural or formal, urban or wilderness, they deserves investment to protect all of the benefits they provide for wildlife and people. Over the last twenty years she has worked for a range of not for profit and public organisations, fundraising for open spaces, engaging with the communities who use them, project managing improvements and writing long term management plans. Prior to joining North Lanarkshire Council, Claire worked for Falkirk Community Trust managing key strategic parks and outdoor sports facilities in Falkirk.
Nicki Sturzaker Expand Nicki’s career in communications spans over twenty years and includes working in both London and Scotland for a variety of leading consultancies, as well as running her own agency. She has extensive experience managing strategic marketing and communications initiatives across diverse sectors spanning construction, tourism and hospitality, education and aquaculture to deliver effective stakeholder engagement, crisis communications, and digital strategies. Throughout her career, Nicki has successfully supported organisations through significant transitions, including regulatory changes, brand repositioning and change management initiatives, maintaining a focus on evidence-based approaches and measurable outcomes. A Chartered PR Practitioner and CIPR Fellow, Nicki was elected to the CIPR Council in 2025.
Audits, Strategy and Quality Open space standards and greenspace quality guide Expand Developing Open Space Standards - web resource, June 2013 Developing Open Space Standards - supplementary report, June 2013 Developing greenspace standards: framework and pathfinder projects - interim report, January 2012 Open space audits and strategies, review of practice in Scotland, September 2010 Greenspace quality – a guide to assessment, planning and strategic development, 2008 Greenspace quality – a guide to assessment, planning and strategic development (summary), 2008
What is Parks4Life? Expand Parks4Life is Scotland’s first ever fund for parks and greenspaces. Managed by greenspace scotland, it aims to raise £1million this year to help support Scotland’s parks. We are raising money for an endowment fund that will enable communities to bring local parks to life.
Why do we need a parks fund? Expand In Scotland, we make 162million visits to our parks and greenspaces every year. Greenspaces are our natural health service, our children’s outdoor classrooms and our towns’ and cities’ green lungs. They bring benefits for our communities, health and wellbeing, children and young people, education, economy and the environment. Parks make our lives better. They are a much loved and greatly valued free resource for many people to enjoy. However, parks are often not protected, and many are under financial and development pressure. Most parks are managed by local councils, but in these times of austerity, they have to make difficult decisions about where their resources go. Unfortunately, this means that the money allocated to parks has been reduced and, in recent years, we’ve seen the quality of our treasured greenspaces decline significantly. Parks4Life is an opportunity for us all to take action to protect our parks for today and the future.