The Friends of Bushy and Home Parks was founded in 1990 as a response to plans to cut down and replant the historic Chestnut Avenue in Bushy Park. There was a public outcry at this threat to the park’s most conspicuous and historic feature.

A successful campaign was launched that saved the chestnut trees, but it soon became clear that the parks were not only threatened by the chain-saw but also by cut backs in funding and plans for commercial schemes.

There were fears about the consequences of privatisation and the effect that the loss of the existing, well-established and committed work force would have on the park. The Friends closely monitored plans for the contractorisation of park maintenance and continue to keep a caring eye on the way the park is maintained. We have continued to campaign against staff cutbacks and for effective police cover.

We have supported the revival of the Chestnut Sunday Parade that was so popular with Londoners at the turn of the century and the commemorative events for SHAEF - the US base that was in Bushy Park during World War II.

More recently, the Friends have influenced the redevelopment of the old Admiralty site at Upper Lodge, opposing plans that would bring a significant increase of traffic into the park or that would damage the environment. The group pressed for developed land that had previously formed part of a Ministry of Defence site to be cleared, decontaminated and returned to the park.