Page 6 - The Land Trust Annual Review 2018
P. 6

Chief Executive                                                                                                                                                 Land Trust Annual Review 2018











                                                                                                                                                    The Land Trust
                                                                                                                                                    has added 75
                                                                                                                                                    hectares of land
                                                                                                                                                    to its expanding
                                                                                                                                                    portfolio in 2017-18
























         Our vision
         We have big ambitions and we recognise    as TCV’s Green Gyms – run on many of our                 There is also evidence to suggest that for some   We need a government that recognises the
         that we have an opportunity to help tackle   sites - have been academically evaluated by the       pupils, learning in an outdoor environment   importance of green space and infrastructure
         some of the biggest issues currently being   University of Westminster and proven to reduce        can boost their academic results, and our new   to create thriving, healthy communities and
         faced by our country.                   stress while our own Health for Life project at            education strategy, launched earlier this year,   we look forward to working with Defra to help
                                                 Countess of Chester Country Park improved the              will give us a new direction in this area of work.  deliver the 2019 year of action.
         It has been well documented that the NHS   physical and mental health of participants,
         is struggling financially, crippled under the   as studied by Liverpool University.                Finally we need to focus on our environment   Ultimately, it is about deciding what society we
         growing weight of preventable, long term and                                                       and the world that we are going to be leaving   want our children, and their children, to grow
         non-communicable diseases caused in part by   Another key area for the Trust going forward         behind for future generations.          up in.
         inactivity. The Trust is committed to working with   will continue to be how we engage with young
         our communities to help them take responsibility   people, not only in providing educational       There have been promising noises from the   We have a huge opportunity to change the
         for their own health, thereby relieving the NHS of   opportunities for school children, but also   government over the last 18 months, with the   future of our country. It is vital that we do not
         unaffordable expenditure.               working with teenagers and young adults to                 recent announcement of a new environment   miss it.
                                                 provide them with skills and experiences that              bill which will set out the legal framework for
         The mental health crisis is also costing the   will help them in further education or              their 25 year plan to leave the environment in
         health service increasingly vast sums of money   into employment.                                  a better state.
         and having a huge effect on our economy with
         12.5 million working days lost in 2016/17 due to   Young people are our future and if they are to live   We all have a responsibility to look after
         work related stress, depression or anxiety.  healthy, productive and prosperous lives then we      this planet that we call home and the Land
                                                 need them to understand the positive impact that           Trust, working in partnership with various
         New initiatives such as social prescribing can   spending time in green space can have and take    organisations will ensure we have our say in
         make a real difference here – activities such   these habits with them throughout their lives.     shaping the future direction of this work.


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