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Garon Park Organisations 2025 Social Value Report The Home of Health & Wellbeing
Foreword 2025 has been another successful year for Garon Park CIC and Wellbeing at Garon Park (CIO). Community Resilience and Equality are at the heart of our strategy, with a special focus on youth development and the environment. Across the board our usage statistics demonstrate the balanced approach we adopt and enables us to host pitch-black theatre for the partially sighted and run an award-winning Youth Club alongside a whole host of local sports teams, without skipping a beat. We have more exciting plans afoot to increase our sports, wellbeing and environmental footprint and we are excited for what 2026 will bring. Clive Shiret, Director Mark Stanley, Operations Manager The vast array of activity on site always makes our job exciting, and I’m delighted with the way our team has risen to the challenge. Doing something that makes a difference is never easy, and the positive attitude of the staff to deliver so much inspires me every day. Our partners’ continually work to expand their offerings and we plan to increase women’s sport at site, along with forthcoming conservation efforts in woodland habitats. These initiatives promise to make 2026 even better!
CONTENTS WELCOME - FOREWORD METHODOLOGY PARTNERS & FUNDERS IMPACT AT A GLANCE HEALTH & WELLBEING ENVIRONMENT & BIODIVERSITY COMMUNITY & INCLUSION ECONOMIC & SKILLS IMPACT FUTURE COMMITMENTS@WellbeingGaronPark @Wellbeing_GaronPark_CIC @WellbeingAtGaronPark @GaronPark 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Our Social Value Lifecycle Our approach to delivering social value is informed by evidence and the needs of the wider community at every stage of our process. Our Social Value Pillars Plan & Identify Needs Programme Delivery Monitor & Capture Data Evaluate, Report & ImproveThrough consultation and data analysis, we use stakeholder input and local insight to inform activities.We run events, activities and projects promoting the wellbeing of people and the environment.Our team tracks participation levels and outcomes through consultation and surveying.We assess and evaluate our outputs and align with best practice to refine our delivery and scale impacts. Using the UK Social Value Model, we have determined the four ways in which we provide social value to our stakeholders. These are: By focussing in these areas, we can present and deliver clear and consistent output, combining robust metrics with valuable local context and relevance. Health & WellbeingEnvironment & BiodiversityEconomic & Skills Impact Community & Inclusion
OS & SCCOS FCOS YFCA Word on Our Partners and Funders We’re committed to delivering destination quality facilities for the enjoyment of everyone. But we cannot deliver the physical, mental and social wellbeing benefits that our greenspace offers alone. We’re thankful for the great, collaborative efforts our partners make every day towards enriching the park and benefitting the physical, social and mental wellbeing of our local communities. We also thank our funders for their financial support that make our fantastic work viable. Partners Funders
238,000 visits 142,000 by under-25s Impacts at a glance 12,000 volunteering hours 50% increase 300kg of produce grown 8000+ meals provided 720 kg food waste diverted from landfill 5% biodiversity net gain change 2200kg CO₂ sequestered 22 school visits 103 days of work experience 24 fundraising events 469 matches hosted 300 hours of pitch time for charities and community groups
Health & WellbeingFitness Sessions Delivered26Youth & Senior Football Matches390Cricket Matches across 11 age groups79Youth Cycling Sessions1869%experienced physical health benefits 71%experienced mental health benefitsFairy & Hallowe’en Trail Visits2000 TESTIMONIAL Having a long period of poor mental health, I began my journey volunteering at Garon Park in January 2025, and quickly found myself resonating with the park’s ethos. As I became more involved, my desire to contribute in more meaningful ways grew, as did my passion to support and uplift others at the site. Throughout my experience volunteering, I not only acquired practical skills but also forged meaningful relationships with my peers. Their support and encouragement has played a pivotal role, and the tangible effects have instilled with a sense of purpose I haven’t felt in years. In December, Garon Park gained funding to support a part-time position as a Horticultural Support Worker. This has been an amazing and life-changing opportunity. For the first time in a long time, I am employed in an environment that offers a bright and ever expanding horizon of possibilities. Mark Brown, Social Horticulture Lead Our commitment to improving local health & wellbeing has been our cornerstone since we first opened our doors; and it’s why we’re so proud that so many people say that being here benefits their physical and mental health. Whether it be through sport, fitness, events, volunteering or social gatherings, providing a space where people can be themselves and enjoy being in their community continues to sit at the core of our work. 2025 has seen the breadth of activity at the park grow even further; with theatre productions, mosaic workshops, sponsored walks and a sobriety football tournament all hosted here for the first time, showcasing the scale and depth of commitment the people of Southend have to serving their community and bettering their lives. In the Leisure Park, in addition to our regular sports visitors we’ve contributed to a dozen fundraising events including the ever popular Race for Life, and provided over 300 hours of pitch time to local charities and community groups at discounted rates. In the Wellbeing Park, we were amazed by the excitement generated by our first ever Hallowe’en Trail and our Southend City Day mosaics, as well as our ever-expanding volunteer programmes and events. We’re also delighted to see that The Boundary hosted 100 events for the first time! “We are very lucky to have all this on our doorstep” – Survey respondent
2,200kg CO2e sequesteredTESTIMONIAL “The activities were interesting and well organised. The staff were very nice and informative. The children loved their time and came away feeling happy and enthusiastic about gardening. Grounds are beautiful and kept well”720kg food waste diverted from landfill300kg produce grown Environment & Biodiversity Dr. Liam King, Conservation Manager Bradley George, Richmond Primary School Teacher 27% increase in plant diversity 5% biodiversity net gain change Our work to promote and protect the environment has continued apace this year. Across the Wellbeing Park we’ve seen a modest increase in biodiversity net gain (BNG), since our baseline assessment in 2023 and fantastic engagement with our wide variety of nature-based programmes. As well as these achievements, we’re glad that efficiency improvements were made to our 3G pitch’s floodlights, equivalent to 48% of electricity consumption. A highlight of the year was the launch of our citizen science programme, with volunteers starting to take a key role in surveying the park and measuring our biodiversity impact across the site. Between bees, water bodies and botanicals, we’ve taken over 100 surveys of the park across the summer, allowing our volunteers to gain valuable skills and informing our future plans. Another development was the creation of our own on-site food waste facility, which has allowed us to divert 99% of our food waste from landfill. We’re ever grateful to our volunteers, who gave up their time and without whom our work to turn our park into a valued space for community and wildlife simply wouldn’t be possible. Special congratulations must also go to Ella Martin; whose pollinator strategy for the park both gained her a first in her dissertation and was recognized by becoming 2025’s Environmental Champion of the Year at the Southend Volunteer Awards. With work on our woodland also getting under way, we’re excited to keep on doing our bit for the local environment!
26% Increase in Disabled UsersCommunity & Inclusion Anna Sims, Youth Lead & DSL12,000 Volunteer Hours TESTIMONIAL The support Garon Park has given us in our first year at The Hive Nature School has been invaluable. The welcoming environment and knowledgeable staff have helped us transform an under-utilised space into a thriving community hub supporting over 6,000 visits. The site is perfectly set up for fun and adventure; helping us build resilience and reduce social isolation for children and parents in our local community.24 Fundraising Events Hosted Stuart Long, Chief Executive Officer, ATF10,000+ Free Meals Provided In a time of disconnection, it’s increasingly important we all have somewhere accessible that we can be together and feel pride in our communities. Because of this, our work with local organisations and partners is critical. 69% of survey respondents said that we’d increased their engagement with local organisations; and 63% said visiting has helped them increase the value of their social connections. A successful first year for ATF hosting a range of activities as operators of The Hive Nature School and the continued success of Garon Park Youth Club are among our most treasured achievements in 2025. Our congratulations also go to the Garon Park Youth Club’s volunteers, who won Team of the Year at the Southend Volunteer Awards; as well as the members receiving 8 Jack Petchey Awards! The formation of our under-18 Youth Council will ensure that needs are met and our park continues to be a source of solace and stimulation for young people across the city. Greenspace has also never discriminated, and we’re very proud to be a disability aware employer, with an increase in site users with additional needs, from our expanding work in the Wellbeing Park with Castledon School and Southend Adult Community College and in the Leisure Park to Soccability groups across the week.
Economic & Skills Impact Kian Fincher, Year 11 Work Experience Student, Fitzwimarc TESTIMONIAL By working at Garon Park, I’ve been able to learn about local challenges through work on a sports and environment marketing project. Being here has helped me learn valuable skills such as communication through working and meeting with new people and sharing ideas and time management. A key highlight was getting Garon Park on Ice ready for opening!Work Experience days undertaken 103School Trips Delivered 22 Educational Visits 43,000 The wide array of activities at Garon Park has always made it a great place to learn new skills supporting people into employment, and 2025 was no different. Between Southend United Community Foundation’s post-16 education offer and EH4CP’s continued work as an alternative education provider on site; over 200 pupils visited site to gain qualifications and support their futures. We also hosted 22 school visits; teaching students valuable lessons across a range of subjects, including construction, ecology, graphic design, landscaping and business operations. In the Wellbeing Park, over 100 days of work experience were provided to 19 pupils across 11 local schools and colleges to provide them with insights into the running of a greenspace; helping them discover new interests and develop skills to thrive in the working world. We’ve also started to work on the construction of a new skills centre, opening up new opportunities to the city’s young people. With more collaborations with our partners and local skills providers in the offing, we’re excited to move into 2026!
Future Commitments Over the coming years, we will redouble our ambitious and inclusive efforts to strengthen the role our facilities play to provide a place that supports people, nature, and community resilience. Our work with partners to expand our nature‐based wellbeing offer will aim to reach new cohorts; and our sporting work will also continue apace to deliver the required facilities and greater volume of activities that are accessible, inclusive, culturally relevant, and responsive to local needs. Work around the park in woodland areas, alongside the expansion of our citizen science projects, will create additional habitat areas across the site and improved monitoring, furthering our ability to support local wildlife. Our community partnerships will continue to be central to our future work. We’re expanding opportunities for volunteering, skills development and co‐creation, enabling local people to play an active role in caring for the green space. In doing so, we aim to build long‐term stewardship and social connection with the area. Finally, we strive to continually improve data quality and outcomes evaluation across our activities at site. Through regular surveying and consultations with relevant stakeholders to enhanced data collection and analysis methods we will be better able to both evidence impact and continuously improve our much-needed delivery both for people and local wildlife. With our continued resolve and the great efforts of our partners, 2026 promises to be another great year!
www.garonpark.com enquiries@garonparkcic.com 01702 965959