Eight parks across the UK are poised to benefit from restoration and conservation schemes after being awarded a share of a National Lottery funding package worth £15.9m.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has revealed that £12.4m will be shared among six parks, while joint HLF and Big Lottery Fund (BIG) funding worth £3.5m will go to two locations. Joint HLF/BIG funding has been secured by Nottingham Forest Recreation Ground, which will receive £3.2m towards an restoration programme and new skills training opportunities.

Phillips Memorial Park in Godalming, Surrey, also secured joint investment, with £335,000 to go towards repairs to the Cloister and the restoration of the original landscape. The largest share of the HLF investment has been awarded to Victoria Park in St Helens to help with much-needed restoration work to a number of its historic features.

Ealing's Walpole Park and Newcastle's Exhibition Park both secured £2.4m, Felixstowe's Seafront Gardens has been handed £2.1m and Raphael Park, Romford, receives £1.7m. The sixth park to receive HLF investment is Dalmuir Park, Dunbartonshire, which has been awarded a confirmed grant of nearly £860,000.

HLF chief executive Carole Souter said: "Lottery funding continues to provide an essential source of investment for our parks and is ensuring that they remain at the heart of their local communities." Meanwhile, nine further parks have receieved initial support from the HLF/BIG and another - Belleisle Park, South Ayrshire - has been handed initial HLF support.

Image: Nottingham Forest Recreation Ground