Here's how Stanley Park helps save the NHS £111 million every year

Elaine Smith, chairman of the Friends of Stanley Park group, has agreed with a report suggesting parks in the UK save the NHS money.
Stanley Park in Blackpool on Saturday, May 6, 2018, by Chris WebbStanley Park in Blackpool on Saturday, May 6, 2018, by Chris Webb
Stanley Park in Blackpool on Saturday, May 6, 2018, by Chris Webb

Regular users of parks and green spaces are likely to be healthier and less likely to visit their GP, research by Fields in Trust suggests, with the NHS saving £111 million a year as a result.

Elaine said: “Of course it saves money. People come on nice days and bring a picnic and cricket sticks and balls. It’s got to be healthy. We have started a dog-walking club and we have as many as 65 people coming, and that’s a few of the dog walkers in the park.

“We were not voted the best park in the UK for nothing.”

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Fields in Trust’s chief executive Helen Griffiths said: “In health alone, parks and green spaces saved the NHS at least £111m per year through prevented GP visits, enough to pay for more than 3,500 nurses.”

Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge and president of Fields in Trust, said: “Access to parks and green spaces can help us to stay physically and mentally well, reduce social isolation and instil pride in our communities.

“Whether it is playing sport, socialising with friends or taking a moment for quiet reflection, parks and green spaces quite simply make us happier.”