Our Strategy 2017-2027
Welcome Like many successful cities, Peterborough’s population is growing and changing – and becoming increasingly diverse. Over the next 25 years, a further 50,000 people are expected to live in Peterborough. Combined with the fact that 57% of adults use their local parks once a month or more (according to the State of UK Public Parks report, 2016), it’s clear that we face a huge challenge to accommodate more visitors to Nene Park over the coming years. Significant investment will be required in order to take the Park into the future and ensure it remains available for future generations to enjoy. This year alone, we expect to spend almost £3million on managing, maintaining and improving Nene Park – and that will only continue to increase. In 2017 we released our Master Plan, which sets out our Park plans up to 2050. This strategy takes a more practical approach and outlines more concrete objectives especially identifying where we want to invest, provided that we have the resources to deliver.
It represents an ambitious step-change from our 2020 vision, focusing on a much more outwardfacing approach both in terms of forming external partnerships, as well as exerting our influence on the development of Peterborough through this time of major growth. Our vision for Nene Park is for it to be the region’s favourite park, providing a permanent haven for heritage and wildlife, and a wide choice of recreational activities for the people of Peterborough and the wider community. We believe that our strategy as set out over the next few pages will help us achieve that and plan a sustainable future for Nene Park over the next ten years.
Matthew Bradbury
Chief Executive Nene Park Trust
Our guiding principles As part of our strategy development, we have set out six principles which we will apply as we go about our daily work, and which will direct us as we deliver on our objectives: We will champion safety and fairness through an increasingly inclusive and high quality Park ‘owned’ by the community. We will continue to improve connections and accessibility throughout the Park for people and wildlife.
We will create a beautifully designed Nene Park that is loved by its people. We will include a ‘sustainability check’ in each of our programmes and projects. We will work with the community to celebrate creativity in our programmes and projects. We will place collaboration at the heart of everything we do by fostering volunteering opportunities and partnerships.
Our Strategy In June 2017, we released the Master Plan for Nene Park, setting out our ambitious plans and aspirations for the Park’s future right up until 2050. Our strategy takes the content of that Master Plan and together with a focus on our charitable objectives (what we will do) and a review of our resources (how we will do it) we have developed more detail for the period 2017 to 2027, outlining our approach of ‘Doing More with More’. As set out in the strategy wheel on the right, our strategy is based around four key pillars:
Celebrating our environment
Developing our resources
Nene Park will be managed and protected as a clean, safe, sustainable and attractive natural environment that retains its river valley character and celebrates local culture, arts, heritage, archaeology and biodiversity.
Nene Park Trust will be recognised as an innovative and inspirational charity that invests in its people, its processes, its sustainability – and most of all its Park.
Engaging our communities
Growing our park
Nene Park will be a beautiful, accessible and enjoyable place that as well as providing opportunities for healthy relaxation and learning, also provides excellent facilities and an exciting range of events and activities.
Nene Park Trust will be recognised as a collaborative and commercially minded charity operating as a key regional partner.
These four pillars are broken down into ten specific business goals, which then split down further into a number of specific objectives – 35 in total – which we are committed to delivering. Underlying all of these will be a need to ensure smarter working, financial sustainability and an increase in the range of activities offered throughout Nene Park.
GRE EN SP AC E
The ‘Strategy Wheel’ model below represents how our new strategy works:
How we will do it
What we will do
BIOD IV GRE ERS EN ITY SP A AC N E D
• Ensuring quality financial management
• Developing local food systems
• Increasing capacity
• Ensuring safety and care
nected Con
QUALITY OF LIFE
• Optimising grant funding
sib le
ea
Cr
• Developing sponsorship
RESPECT, FAIRNESS, INTEGRITY, TRUST, EQUALITY
tiv
e
• Maximising commercial income
C o ll a b
ti ora
• Protecting and developing culture, arts and heritage
• Embedding art and design
• Improving health through recreation • Promoting accessible recreation opportunities • Providing great experiences
ve
• Discovering a favourite place • Growing learning and skills • Reaching out to communities
• Working with new audiences • Promoting growth through partnerships • Being a key regional partner • Working collaboratively with our tenants and neighbours
PA RT NE RSH IP
• Raising our profile
• Bringing people and nature closer
• Understanding our audiences
• Valuing and developing volunteers
• Interpreting and promoting the Park
E NS TIV EFFEC CATIO
NI COMMU
Progress on our strategy will be reviewed in Nene Park Trust’s annual report.
AR NI NG
G DIN FUN
• Securing individual donations and charitable giving
ces
• Promoting resilience through design
e
• Recognising culture, arts and heritage
Ac
Sa f
• Developing our equipment and systems
Su st ble na ai
• Improving our estate and buildings
D e sig n e d
INFASTR UCT UR E
• Fostering a culture of innovation
• Creating a biodiversity- rich landscape
AND RTS E, A E UR TAG LT ERI CU H
• Ensuring excellent governance
• Investing in people
• Ensuring core maintenance and management
D AN
LE
AN DW ELLBE ING
• Growing financial sustainability
M EA
TH E
T
INESS BUS E TH
The detail Here we have outlined some of our main objectives as part of our strategy. Celebrating our environment • • • • • • •
Promoting the value of nature Protecting a wide range of species Transforming grazing meadows to wetlands Reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill Refurbishing our public toilets and facilities Developing sustainable local food systems Increasing the number and range of cultural, film and music events in Ferry Meadows • Developing the Park into other areas of the city
Developing our resources • • • • • • • • •
Increasing access to the entire Park through improvements to our estate Proposing two more visitor hubs – one at Thorpe Meadows and one in the Rural Estate Redeveloping the Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre areas after 2025 Developing complementary land-based outdoor activities such as climbing and high ropes Investing in new indoor and outdoor play projects for older children, teenagers and adults too Adding to the residential accommodation in the Park Investigating the benefits of renewable energy in the Park Introducing on-line booking for events Investing in a ‘Health and Safety Ranger’ to ensure our visitors feel safe
Engaging our communities • • • • • • • • • • •
Involving local people in the management of the Park Potentially creating additional leisure offers beyond Ferry Meadows Developing cycle cross, distance running and walking routes to use the full extent of the Park Increasing the level of public access to the Rural Estate – path networks and cycling Securing better public transport to the Park Building a ‘day out’ offer around Nene Park Engaging schools across Peterborough in environmental education Developing apprenticeship, internship and work experience opportunities Establishing a ‘Friends of Nene Park’ group Renewing our website and our branding Introducing public Wi-Fi in the Park’s busiest areas
Growing our park • Developing more integrated projects that involve our Tenants and Licensees • Involving our neighbours in new projects • Adopting a more professional and productive approach to fundraising • Building a loyal network of local companies regularly providing corporate volunteering • Building on ventures such as the Visitor Centre shop and Nene Outdoors • Exploring an annual ‘Proms in the Park’ style event
Join us Our strategy represents an exciting new chapter for Nene Park. It will enable us to reach out to the communities in Peterborough and to improve the landscape, wildlife value and heritage of the Park and beyond.
The delivery of the Strategy combined with the longer term Master Plan represents a number of demanding objectives which will require an innovative approach, support from our partners and visitors as well as sustainable funding. Only then can we achieve our long-term ambitions. We are extremely fortunate that the last thirty years or more have provided a foundation for significant growth at Nene Park and we look forward to embarking upon the opportunity to enter the next phase of our development – join us as we begin ‘Doing More with More’.
Web: www.neneparktrust.org.uk Call: 01733 234193 Email: visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk