The Parks Trust

What The Parks Trust does

The Parks Trust is an independent registered charity (Milton Keynes Parks Trust Limited; Charity No. 1007183; Company No. 02519659), established in 1992 to provide perpetual stewardship of Milton Keynes' parks, woodlands, lakes, and green spaces. It manages a 6,000-acre estate encompassing more than 40 parks, ancient woodlands, river valleys, 355 hectares of wetland along the River Great Ouse (the Wetland Arc), 80 miles of grid-road landscaping, 30+ pieces of public art, and heritage sites such as Great Linford Manor Park and the Bancroft Roman Villa. Its core product is the maintained and publicly accessible green estate, supplemented by an Events and Activities Programme of approximately 500 events per year, schools and youth programmes (Junior Park Rangers, Youth Explorers), community volunteering, contractor landscape services, and accessibility-led visitor services developed in partnership with AccessAble.

The business model is hybrid. Free public park access drives community engagement; ancillary commercial revenue streams include a diversified property portfolio (office and industrial lettings), event licensing fees (concerts, festivals, commercial filming and photography, with hourly and annual licences priced at £140-£280+VAT and £150+VAT respectively), modest activity fees (£1-£5 per session for Tree Tots, bat walks, Woof Walks, nature crafts), retail-style firewood sales, external landscape contracting, and corporate sponsorship (e.g., Urban&Civic). Income is rounded out by donations, legacy giving, and grant funding (notably a £213,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant for the Wetland Arc). Distribution is regional, through direct park access, the Digitickets online platform, and partnership marketing with local community organisations. There are no technology platforms, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities disclosed; the operating edge is grounded in physical estate, specialist staff (101-250 employees), and an embedded volunteer ecosystem.

Name

The Parks Trust

Legal name

Milton Keynes Parks Trust Limited

Website

https://theparkstrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Parks Trust is an independent UK charity (est. 1992) that perpetually manages Milton Keynes' 6,000-acre green estate of parks, woodlands, and lakes, serving local residents, schools, and visitors through free park access, ~500 annual events, schools programmes, and commercial property, event licensing, and modest activity-fee revenue streams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Park Management and Green Space Stewardship

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Historical Sites (712120), Landscaping Services (561730)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Urban park management
• Green space stewardship
• Nature conservation services
• Community education programs
• Charitable land management

Headquarters

HQ city

Milton Keynes

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate donations, and legacy giving programs. The organization relies on public support to fund park maintenance and improvements.
2. Corporate Support and Sponsorship: Partnerships with businesses such as Urban&Civic for events and activities, providing both funding and in-kind support.
3. Event Licenses and Hosting: Revenue from licensing parks for third-party events, concerts, and festivals. Commercial filming and photography also generates income.
4. Property Portfolio: Office and industrial space rentals that help fund core charitable work. Income from commercial property tenants.
5. Activity Fees: Modest fees for specific activities including Tree Tots sessions, Woof Walk dog walking events, bat walks, workshops, and nature crafts. Pricing ranges from £1-5 per activity.
6. Firewood Sales: Seasoned log sales in netted bags from Campbell Park reception, supporting landscape management operations.
7. Landscape Management Contracting: Contractor services for tree planting, thinning, pollarding, construction, and park maintenance work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Parks Trust is an independent charity that maintains and develops 6,000 acres of parks, woodlands, lakes, river valleys and landscaped corridors across Milton Keynes. Its core deliverable is free public access to these green spaces for recreation and wellbeing, supplemented by an annual programme of around 500 events, community education (Junior Park Rangers, Youth Explorers, school visits), event venue licensing, commercial filming permits, firewood sales, and a commercial property portfolio whose rental income funds the charitable work.

Product overview

The Parks Trust operates as a single integrated offering focused on the stewardship and management of Milton Keynes' green estate. Their portfolio comprises Property Portfolio (commercial office and industrial space funding their operations), Firewood sales, Event Licencing services, and direct park access/recreation across 6,000 acres. They complement these with an Events and Activities Programme hosting ~500 events annually, Community Engagement Services including youth programmes and volunteering, Contractor Services for landscape management, and the Wetland Arc Project - a Heritage Lottery-funded initiative. The organization is structured as a unified charity service rather than a modular platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Park Access and Recreation

Quantifiable outcome

• Trees and shrubs planted annually across 6,000 acres of managed green space
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Urban&CivicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMaster Developer for Whitehouse and Fairfields communities, sponsoring the Whitehouse Pop-up Play event. Responsible for delivering green spaces and community facilities.
• Whitehouse Community CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community council partnering on Whitehouse area events and community engagement.
• Whitehouse Community PlayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization collaborating on play events in the Whitehouse area.
• Community Action: MKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community organization supporting Whitehouse Pop-up Play event.
• AccessAblecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld leader in accessibility information, collaborating with The Parks Trust to create detailed access guides for parks, helping visitors with disabilities plan their visits.
• Milton Keynes MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for joint events including Discover Bancroft Roman Villa walks, combining museum artifacts with on-site heritage interpretation.
• Milton Keynes Arts CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts organization collaborating on Wetlands and Weaving Workshop as part of Heritage Open Days.
• Westbury Arts CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Heritage Open Days events including Ancient Woodland Wander at Shenley Wood.
• Mid Shires Orchard GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrchard conservation group partnering on Heritage Open Days Orchard Foraging Walk and Woughton Community Orchard activities.
• Riverside Parks GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity group that supported establishment of Stony Stratford Nature Reserve in 2008.
• South Midlands Orienteering Club (SMOC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrienteering club hosting regular events at Howe Park Wood, providing outdoor adventure sport opportunities.
• Woughton Community CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal council partnering on community events at Peartree Bridge including Triceratops sculpture activities.
• Woughton on the Green Community OrchardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity orchard celebrating 50th anniversary in 2026, supported by The Parks Trust through planting and maintenance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Canal & River Trust: UK charity caring for 2,000 miles of waterways and the surrounding towpath green corridors. Directly comparable as a heritage-environment charity managing a linear network of public green space with volunteering, events, and community engagement programmes.
• City of London Corporation (Open Spaces): Manages Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches and other open spaces around London. Comparable role as a public-interest steward of urban and peri-urban natural assets, with property income cross-subsidising conservation.
• The Royal Parks: UK charity managing London's eight royal parks (Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Richmond Park, etc.). Closely comparable model — independent charity stewarding major urban green estates with events, education, and commercial activities — though at much larger London-based scale.

Broad incumbents

• Forestry England: Public body managing England's public forests, including ancient woodlands and visitor facilities. Comparable stewardship of large woodland estates with events, recreation, and biodiversity focus, though government-funded rather than charity-structured.
• The Wildlife Trusts: Federation of 46 local wildlife trusts covering the UK. Comparable conservation mandate around biodiversity and nature reserves, with overlapping educational and volunteering programmes, though typically focused on wilder habitats rather than urban parks.
• The National Trust: The UK's largest conservation charity, managing heritage properties, gardens, coastline, and countryside. Overlapping mission on parks and green-space stewardship, but operates at national scale across a much broader and more tourism-oriented portfolio.

Emerging players

• Groundwork UK: Federation of charities delivering environmental and regeneration projects including parks, green spaces, and community engagement. Comparable mission around urban green space and community programmes, though operating through local trusts across multiple regions.
• Fields in Trust: UK charity protecting parks and green spaces in perpetuity. Highly comparable legal/charitable structure dedicated to safeguarding outdoor recreational space for communities — though focused on advocacy and legal protection rather than direct operational management.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@theparkstrustmiltonkeynes3213
• Facebookfacebook.com/theparkstrust
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/the-parks-trust-milton-keynes
• Instagraminstagram.com/theparkstrust
• Xx.com/TheParksTrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Parks Trust