The document discusses the benefits of friends groups for parks and how they can take on new activities. It then outlines how the Birmingham Open Spaces Forum (BOSF) supports various parks friends groups through newsletters, funding identification and distribution, mentoring, networking, and negotiating on their behalf. Some common issues the groups face that BOSF helps with include safeguarding parks, staffing, planning, starting new groups, and locating funding.

1. Friends...you
can do so
much with
them

136. Having a go at
something new

138. Photo Album
by Emma

152. Sports &
Games

166. Spray
Art

183. Where does the
Money Come
from?

186. So Why BOSF?

187. How BOSF Doesn’t Work?
Nah, I blame those It says here it’s all the Parks’
bloody friends Department’s fault
groups

188. How BOSF Does Work?
Funder Parks User
Councillor Dept. Group
Park
Manager

189. What BOSF does?
• Newsletters
• Email updates &Website
• Conferences – going to and holding
• Identifying, promoting & distributing
funding
• Mentoring and signposting
• Networking groups with similar experiences
• Constitutions and Committee formats
• Negotiates

190. Issues that Keep Coming Up
• Safeguarding
vulnerable spaces
• Staffing
• Planning Issues
• Getting groups started
• Finding money

191. Nice Pictures of
Cotteridge Park