To provide opportunities for people to volunteer to help improve their environment and boost personal well-being in the process. Right now, when one third of the UK's green places are in danger of being lost or degraded, our work is more important than ever. The everyday green places that people use are especially vulnerable. 10,000 playing fields were sold off between 1979 and 1997. And only 10% of the UK's allotments remain. Places like these do not have special protection. They are all under threat at a time when local councils are cutting budgets. But neglecting green places is a false economy. It doesn't take long for a once-loved open space to become a magnet for anti-social behaviour, and a cost to society. So looking after green places isn't just about caring for nature. It's about caring for people as well. A well-used green place is a classroom, a gym, a playground and a sanctuary. It is a place that is good for people as well as for wildlife. The Conservation Volunteers help hundreds of thousands of people each year to reclaim local green places. Through our own environmental projects and through our network of 2,000 community groups, we see people - every day, and all across the UK - taking responsibility for their own local environments. You can be part of it too. Join in, feel good.
