History

The Friends of Bushy and Home Parks was founded in 1990 as a response to plans to cut down and replant the historic Chestnut Avenue in Bushy Park. There was a public outcry at this threat to the Park’s most conspicuous and historic feature.

A successful campaign was launched that saved the chestnut trees, but it soon became clear that the Parks were not only threatened by the chain-saw but also by cut backs in funding and plans for commercial schemes. Thus the Friends took on the more general aims of helping to preserve and enhance the Parks, and increasing public awareness and enjoyment of these invaluable assets. One element of this has been to work to maintain free access to the Parks, and most recently we played a leading role in reversing a decision to impose parking charges in Bushy Park.

An early initiative was in support of the revival of the Chestnut Sunday Parade that was so popular at the turn of the nineteenth century. We were also instrumental in promoting the restoration of the Water Gardens – a project that eventually became a keystone in the more extensive Bushy Park Restoration of recent years.