Suzy Lamplugh Trust, University of Leeds and Keep Britain Tidy launch Safer Parks Project

Parks provide essential spaces for exercise, relaxation and socialising - but research has concluded that most women and girls feel unsafe in parks in some situations.

That's why we've developed this vital initiative together with Dr Anna Barker at the University of Leeds and Keep Britain Tidy, which will ensure park employees and volunteers know how to intervene when they witness public harassment.

Building on the Suzy Lamplugh Trust’s Stand Up Against Street Harassment Training in collaboration with Right To Be and sponsored by L’Oréal Paris, the training is informed by Dr. Barker’s earlier Safer Parks research. Drawing on experiences of women and girls, it uses co-designed scenarios to encourage bystander intervention to tackle harassment in public green spaces.

The training has already been completed by over 250 parks staff and volunteers in West Yorkshire, Cardiff, Doncaster, Hartlepool, London, Rugby and Wigan. The feedback has been exceptional:

99% rated the content of the training as good or excellent.

99% rated the trainer as very good or outstanding.

94% reported feeling extremely or fairly well confident or empowered to act as a bystander.

Read the full report:

Safer Parks: Fostering a Community of Active Bystanders for the UK’s Green Spaces

Using examples from the park made it more practical — it’s easier to put the training into action when you can picture it happening in your own space.

How to take action

Complete training

Research from L’Oreal Paris and IPSOS finds that 80% of UK women have experienced harassment, yet 75% say no one stepped in. We are calling on parks staff across the UK to help us expand our work and ensure all green spaces feel safe and welcoming.

If you are an employee or volunteer at a park, request a free online or in-person session for your team (groups of 70+) by emailing [email protected].

If you want to take part in a session open to anyone, including the public, sign up here. All sessions are free and run for 30 minutes.

If you have any questions, concerns or feedback please contact training@suzylamplugh.org.

Join the campaign

We've created a free toolkit to support local action. It includes everything you need to get started, including social media images, printable posters and a template press email.

Download the full toolkit by heading to the Green Flag Award’s website.

Safer Parks Guidance

Download the Safer Park Guidance which highlights how changes in park design and management can make a big impact – suitable for local councils, Friends groups and police and community safety professionals. The materials have also been translated into Arabic, Urdu and Romani.

Everyone deserves to feel safe. Yet, our research reveals a disturbing reality: many people, especially women, are subjected to harassment in our public spaces. This is unacceptable. The Stand Up Against Harassment bystander intervention training is designed to tackle this pervasive issue head-on.

We are thrilled to bring this vital training to those who work in and enjoy our parks and open spaces across England, Scotland and Wales, and hope that the public will sign up and get trained too, so we can work together to foster a community where everyone can feel safe.

Allowing harassment to go unaddressed lets injustice persist. Everyone—from park managers to community groups—can play a role in making parks safer. This training equips people with the skills to intervene safely and effectively.

Rolling out bystander training across parks in England and Wales is a crucial step toward creating safer public spaces for women and girls. By equipping individuals with the tools to recognise and respond to harassment, we can make a real impact in reducing harassment and ensuring parks remain welcoming for all.