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All gifts, large or small, are of huge value to the work we do, and will be used where they can have the greatest impact on the conservation of our green spaces. Your gift to a cause you feel passionate about could help us, achieve our long-term conservation and biodiversity goals and could be transformative!
From the Chair
Today, we owe the pleasure we obtain from our local open spaces to the remarkable foresight and determination of previous generations – to people like Octavia Hill, who hustled politicians towards the Metropolitan Commons Act 1866, which helped preserve Barnes Common; to the local community who fought off development proposals and saved the Leg o’ Mutton reservoir; to Barnes UDC for buying up the market garden land to create the Vine Road Rec, while Barnes Common itself (then FoBC) has campaigned successfully to recover most of the Former Goods Yard that was restored to the Common rather than being lost to development.
Local surveys show that living in a green and leafy borough filled with our valuable open spaces is more important than any other reason for choosing to live here. Also proximity to open space, adds on average, over 2% to property values which is likely to be even higher in urban settings. Certainly evidence from property sales in Barnes, suggests the premium is probably in excess of 10% and in some exceptional cases maybe 50%! All of us who own local property might care to reflect on how much of the increase in value we have enjoyed is due to the local open spaces and our community.
Conserving open space is however, not free, and we are fortunate that much of the core cost of running Barnes Common is met by Richmond Council. Nevertheless, from time to time, significant extra investment is required – helping to improve habitats for wildlife, creating and maintaining access, adding amenities and providing opportunities for lifelong learning. These not only help to make Barnes such a special place, but can also make a huge difference to climate resilience, biodiversity and wellbeing, issues which we ignore or put off at our peril.
Any donation or legacy is welcome and much appreciated, but significant legacies will ensure that we can act swiftly to ensure that future generations continue to enjoy what we have all enjoyed so much. Will our beneficiaries begrudge us giving, say, 2% of the value of our property back to the community. None of us particularly enjoys planning for the inevitable (“death and taxes”), but knowing that you have provided for the Barnes Common community as well as your family and friends will provide great comfort.
We have lived in a golden Elizabethan Age, many of us enjoying an unprecedented peace dividend as well as such luxuries as defined benefit pensions. The fear is that we are now leaving future generations facing enormous challenges, and we need to do what we can to help them. I hope you will join us in showing tangible gratitude for what we have enjoyed.
All gifts, large or small, are of huge value to the work we do, and will be used where they can have the greatest impact on the conservation of our green spaces. Your gift to a cause you feel passionate about could help us, achieve our long-term conservation and biodiversity goals and could be transformative!
From the Chair
Today, we owe the pleasure we obtain from our local open spaces to the remarkable foresight and determination of previous generations – to people like Octavia Hill, who hustled politicians towards the Metropolitan Commons Act 1866, which helped preserve Barnes Common; to the local community who fought off development proposals and saved the Leg o’ Mutton reservoir; to Barnes UDC for buying up the market garden land to create the Vine Road Rec, while Barnes Common itself (then FoBC) has campaigned successfully to recover most of the Former Goods Yard that was restored to the Common rather than being lost to development.
Local surveys show that living in a green and leafy borough filled with our valuable open spaces is more important than any other reason for choosing to live here. Also proximity to open space, adds on average, over 2% to property values which is likely to be even higher in urban settings. Certainly evidence from property sales in Barnes, suggests the premium is probably in excess of 10% and in some exceptional cases maybe 50%! All of us who own local property might care to reflect on how much of the increase in value we have enjoyed is due to the local open spaces and our community.
Conserving open space is however, not free, and we are fortunate that much of the core cost of running Barnes Common is met by Richmond Council. Nevertheless, from time to time, significant extra investment is required – helping to improve habitats for wildlife, creating and maintaining access, adding amenities and providing opportunities for lifelong learning. These not only help to make Barnes such a special place, but can also make a huge difference to climate resilience, biodiversity and wellbeing, issues which we ignore or put off at our peril.
Any donation or legacy is welcome and much appreciated, but significant legacies will ensure that we can act swiftly to ensure that future generations continue to enjoy what we have all enjoyed so much. Will our beneficiaries begrudge us giving, say, 2% of the value of our property back to the community. None of us particularly enjoys planning for the inevitable (“death and taxes”), but knowing that you have provided for the Barnes Common community as well as your family and friends will provide great comfort.
We have lived in a golden Elizabethan Age, many of us enjoying an unprecedented peace dividend as well as such luxuries as defined benefit pensions. The fear is that we are now leaving future generations facing enormous challenges, and we need to do what we can to help them. I hope you will join us in showing tangible gratitude for what we have enjoyed.
Barnes Common
Vine Road Pavilion
Vine Road
Barnes SW13 0NE