On August 19th Jen and Cookie, her rescue dog, set off on an adventure to walk across all national parks in England. 10-weeks-10-national-parks-and-1000-miles, with the aim of raising £10,000 for the Peak District National Park Foundation for projects focussing on accessibility and inclusivity, wellbeing and climate change within the national park.
There’s a great synergy between the Alpkit Foundation and Jen’s outlook for her challenge. We know how the National Parks can play a vital role in introducing and teaching people about the importance and benefits of time outdoors and the natural world.
By supporting Jen on her challenge we really want to help highlight further the important work going on within National Parks, on this occasion focussing on those 10 that she's walking through.
We will be doing this by matching her fundraising target, providing a £10,000 fund for grass roots projects happening within the National Parks that address accessibility, wellbeing, and tackling climate change and its impacts.
After Jen’s challenge, we will select 2 projects from each of the 10 National Parks she visited, awarding them £500 each to support the work they are doing.
So if you involved with a project happening within one of these, then Apply Now and let us know about the work going on along with how the £500 will go direct to making an impact.
Applications are invited through our application form on the Alpkit Foundation page. Or click straight here
Please use Walk in the Parks as the project title. Deadline is December 31st, 2023.
Projects must be focused on promoting accessibility and wellbeing, and tackling climate change and its impacts within the National Park.
Mountain Journal Entries
Hi Thom, thanks for the message and we totally echo your comments about the great work going on in the AONB’s around the UK. We had the pleasure of being involved with their annual conference back in 2022 and know about the efforts being made around engagement and conservation. This particular fund was simply to run alongside Jen’s challenge and in relation to the work going on in the National Parks she’s specifically visiting, but throughout the year we are continually receiving applications on a rolling basis for these smaller awards of up to £500 to help exactly this kind of work going on in all the National parks and AONB’s. Will email as definitely nice to get in touch – Col.
Alpkit Foundation
September 18, 2023
Pleasing to read about the planned fund, but disappointing not to see a mention of the 33 English AONBs that also enhance and conserve nature, as well as engaging hugely with their resident communities. And that’s not even covering the 5 AONBs and 3 National Parks across the border in Wales, or the 8 AONBs in Northern Ireland, the 2 National Parks in Scotland or the 40 National Scenic Areas there. If you would like to find out more about the work in Wales and the engagement with communities, please get in touch.
Thom Hadfield
September 18, 2023