The ISPAL postbag continues to be full, and each week we will feature issues and stories coming through to us from members.

This week, we must note that there remains a clear grievance for our hundreds of parks members, around their status, or perhaps a better word would be “recognition”.

On the phone, too, members ask – why, when the government at last recognises the importance of our parks, when at last the old Victorian Parks ethos is once again a responsible attitude for politicians and civil servants to take, are we finding that leisure and sport comes higher up the agenda – for local authorities, for the media, even (some feel) in the ISPAL despatches?

We receive great stories like this: “We (Warwick District Council) were the first unit in the country to get a 3-star rating in the Best Value Review on Out Door Recreation by the Audit Commission. We have the RHS best park in Britain Award, but…”

That’s just one member, but they are just one of many who want ISPAL to fight the corner for parks people – for funding and for more attention from decision makers and commentators.

Well, we are and we will. Above all, ISPAL listens. We are committed to the parks cause and to our members; judge us on what we do this year, and perhaps bear in mind that ISPAL was just eight weeks old this week…