We won the bid!! Congratulations to Burgess Park!

Mayor of London Boris Johnson announced on 4 March that £2 million is to be awarded to Burgess Park. Burgess Park is the Mayor's Premier Park.

The Friends of Burgess Park are tremendously excited that the park will finally get some of the investment it deserves to tackle its problems and build on its strengths. We want to put the park on the map - for all the right reasons.

There are already many groups that love and benefit from Burgess Park – from sports associations such as the tennis, football, cricket, fishing and rugby clubs, to nature-lovers, families and local residents young and old for whom the park is a vital antidote to the intensely urban landscape around it.

With wide open spaces, meadows and copses, and a rich biodiversity, it’s no wonder that the park has become known as the ‘lung of South East London’.

However, Burgess Park faces many challenges. Crime and antisocial behaviour are perceived problem areas. Much more needs to be done to bring together the diverse local communities. The redevelopment of Elephant and Castle and the Aylesbury Estate will only increase the need for a thriving green, open space.

Funding has so far been in short supply. Despite being larger than St James's Park, Burgess Park’s relatively short history has meant it has missed out on Heritage Lottery Funding.