Oxford joins celebrations for Love Parks Week 2024

Oxford’s green spaces are among hundreds of parks across the country taking part in Love Parks Week 2024.

The celebration, which started on 26 July and goes on until 4 August, brings together local authorities, green space managers, landowners, residents and community organisations to celebrate and support our fantastic green spaces all across the country. 

Whether spending time outdoors relaxing with friends and families, picnicking, visiting play areas, knocking a football around or walking the dog, our parks give our communities an invaluable space to enjoy, grow and socialise.

Celebrating our city's parks and green spaces

Love Parks Week coincides with Oxford City Council’s anti-littering campaign with partner company ODS, and is a great time to acknowledge the efforts of all those who help look after and maintain the 126 playgrounds, 150 sports pitches and 26 countryside and woodland sites in the city. Partners and volunteers including OxClean, the Jericho Community Hub and Good Gym, regularly complete litter picks. 

Love Parks Week is also an opportunity to remind residents and visitors that everyone can help keep green spaces clean and welcoming for all. By disposing of litter responsibly, you make our cleaner, safer and more beautiful place for everyone, while also protecting wildlife. Litter and fly-tipping can also be reported via the Fix My Street app.

Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at Oxford City Council said: "We’re proud to be supporting Keep Britain Tidy’s Love Parks campaign and encourage everyone to help celebrate all the wonderful parks and play areas we have in Oxford by making the most of them. Our city offers a wide range of facilities, including play equipment, exercise fitness apparatus, skate parks, a range of ball game courts, and multi-use games areas, alongside large open spaces such as country parks and woodlands. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who work hard to keep the parks looking as clean as beautiful as they do. Please make sure you dispose of litter responsibly this summer, and use the Fix My Street app to report any litter or fly-tipping issues and let's work together to keep our parks clean and inviting for everyone.” 

Rita Cabrita, Parks and Open Spaces Service Manager at ODS, said: "Love Parks Week is a fantastic opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of keeping our parks and green spaces clean and tidy. ODS’ Parks team works tirelessly to maintain these spaces for everyone to enjoy, but we all have a role to play. With the summer months bringing increased footfall to our parks, we urge residents and visitors to dispose of their litter responsibly. If bins are full, please take your rubbish home with you. By working together, we can protect our beautiful green spaces for everyone to enjoy. Let's make Oxford a cleaner, safer, and a more welcoming city for all." 

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “The Love Parks campaign would not be possible without the backing of our local authority partners, including Oxford City Council, park professionals and landowners. This week is an opportunity for everyone to celebrate, appreciate and recognise the value of their park and green space. To talk about what that green space means for them and their communities. Parks improve our health and wellbeing, and we want everyone to hear that message so that during this week of putting the spotlight on our precious parks, people who may not think parks are for them, give their local space a visit.” 

Love Parks in an annual national campaign run by Keep Britain Tidy. The campaign celebrates and supports green spaces. Find out more about how you can get involved at keepbritaintidy.org/loveparks.