The Parks Trust, the charity that cares for Milton Keynes’ parks and green spaces, has planned a series of events and activities to celebrate the city’s 50th birthday, with exciting activities for people of all ages and interests to enjoy.
The trust has with Milton Keynes Council to offer a special programme of 50 led walks throughout 2017.
These walks will be held at a wide variety of locations across the beautiful and inspiring city, offering people the chance to discover new areas and learn more about Milton Keynes. The most adventurous of all will be The Parks Trust’s 25 mile Challenge Walk, which will begin at Howe Park Wood. This will be a self-guided walk stretching across the city’s parkland, with a downloadable map available here
This will be complemented by The Parks Trust’s definitive list of the 50 most notable trees in Milton Keynes. The list has been compiled by those who work amongst the trees every day as part of the Trust’s operations team and residents will be invited to vote for their favourite. Downloadable leaflets with details on each tree and how to find them will be available online.
These trees will also be added to the Open University’s Treezilla project; the monster map of Britain’s trees which details how they benefit the local environment and economy. The Parks Trust will be running an adult education session on Saturday 20 May providing guidance on how people can evaluate Milton Keynes’ trees and add them to the map themselves.
For those keen to give something back to the city, The Parks Trust will be combining with parish councils to run 50 litter picking sessions throughout the year, encouraging residents to help Milton Keynes look its best. During National Volunteering week (beginning 1st June) there will be a litter pick at Willen Lake North, as well as other activities for people to enjoy, including reed planting.
Wildlife fans will love The Parks Trust’s Festival of Nature, being held in partnership with BBO Wildlife Trust and MK Natural History Society. This is a week-long celebration of nature, organised for the first time to coincide with the 50th birthday celebrations. It begins with the Trust’s annual Nature Day on 1 July and during the week there will be nature themed guided walks, competitions, and lots of opportunities for people to get discover the world around them.
The Parks Trust’s annual public meeting, on Thursday 6 July, will be an opportunity for the charity to reflect on its heritage and what it has achieved since its formation 25 years ago, while launching its strategic plan for the coming years.
In addition, as part of MK50, The Parks Trust has offered 50 free education sessions to community groups and schools across Milton Keynes, with the lucky recipients including Army Cadets, Women’s Institutes, Brownie packs and Scout troops. These sessions will cover a host of activities, including bushcraft, guided walks, bug hunting, and pedalo hire at Willen Lake.
“Milton Keynes is a very special city and it is important to celebrate its many achievements and the advantages it offers to those who live, work and visit here," said David Foster, chief executive of The Parks Trust.
“We wanted to create a programme of events and activities throughout the year that would encourage people to spend time outside in our beautiful parks, lakes and woodlands. We hope people enjoy celebrating with us!”
