Visitors to Stratford-upon-Avon may have spotted the new park wardens present in the Bancroft Gardens and Recreation Ground. The park warden service has been introduced to the area to provide a reassuring presence to park users, particularly during the busiest summer season when they will be on site between 8am- 8pm Sunday – Thursday and 8am-10pm on Friday and Saturday.
The park wardens carry out horticultural activities and playground inspections in the area but are also there to offer help and advice to those visiting the park, as well as being a patrolling presence to deter unwanted activities and enforce local byelaws.
Cllr Mike Brain, Technical Services Portfolio says: “This is a fantastic initiative which the District Council has been able to introduce with our contractors The Landscape Group. Hopefully the presence of the Park Wardens down on Bancroft Gardens and the Recreation Ground will be reassuring for residents and visitors alike as they are here to help and be seen as a friend of the community."
The park wardens have received extra training by attending the Town Ambassador course, which enables them to offer information on the town to people visiting the park. In addition, they have attended a four-day BTEC Security Guarding course which complies with the Security Industry Authority's specification for licensing of Security Guards in England and Wales.
The wardens are in contact with the CCTV monitoring office which enables them to raise awareness of any incidents in the park that are a cause for concern – this is linked to the PCSOs and traffic wardens that patrol the town and enables a unified approach to unwanted or antisocial activities throughout.
Adam Lewis, Contract Manager for The Landscape Group comments: “The park warden service is something that we hope will be a welcome addition to the town. The primary purpose of the park wardens is to be a constant, friendly presence who can offer help and information to people. The Bancroft Gardens and Recreation Ground is an extremely busy area, particularly in the summer months, so this addition to the town's infrastructure and ability to halt antisocial behaviour will hopefully ensure that people visiting feel safe and secure in the park."
- The Landscape Group looks after the green infrastructure of the UK. We're a green service provider, offering a quality service in grounds maintenance, tree surgery, street cleansing and landscape construction.
- The Landscape Groupwas chosen to provide grounds maintenance services on behalf of Stratford-upon-Avon District Council from 1st April 2013. The contract will last for five years, with an option to extend for up to five further years.
- The Landscape Group has to date received 64 BALI Awards; our Media City project was honoured with the prestigious BALI Grand Award in 2011.
- We have been appointed grounds maintenance legacy partner for the ground-breaking new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, caring for its blue and green estates until at least 2024.
- The Landscape Group's customers include local authorities, housing associations, private businesses, schools and the construction industry. We work hard to build long-term relationships based on trust and integrity. We always try to help our clients get the best possible value within their budgets, particularly in these challenging economic times.
- With an annual turnover of £44million and employing over 1,100 staff in peak season, The Landscape Group is one the largest amenity horticulture specialists in the UK, and is probably the longest established, dating back to 1919.
