15 May 2025
Gosport Community Fund helps Friends of Leesland Park bring festival to life
The Gosport Community Fund, managed by Community First and made possible by the players of the Gosport Community Lottery, has once again supported an initiative at the heart of the local community. In the latest grant round in April 2025, six organisations received a total of £6,318. One of those recipients was The Friends of Leesland Park, who were awarded £913 to help bring their much-loved Park Fest to life this September.
Since the Gosport Community Lottery launched in 2018, the Community Fund has awarded 56 grants totalling over £43,000. These one-off grants are available to local groups and individuals working to improve life in the borough, with the aim of helping good ideas grow and thrive.
Friends of Leesland Park is a voluntary group that’s been caring for the park since 1998. It all began when a few locals decided to do something about a bit of land that had been left to go wild – and it’s grown into something much bigger since then. The group organises regular monthly “work” days to look after the park – cutting back brambles, keeping the paths clear, planting trees, and generally ensuring the space remains a welcoming and safe place for wildlife and residents. As well as conservation work, the group runs seasonal community events including a Father’s Day picnic and, their biggest celebration of the year, Park Fest.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the group’s community events, and Park Fest 2025 promises to be something special. Thanks to the grant, nearly half the cost of running the festival is now covered. Park Fest will feature live music, charity stalls, entertainment, and plenty of activities for children – all aimed at bringing the local community together in a fun, inclusive way.
Phillip Sandall, Secretary of Friends of Leesland Park, said: “We’re just a small volunteer group who love the park and want to keep it going for everyone. We’re reliant on grants, so it’s really important to us.
“We’re so grateful to have been successful with this one – it feels brilliant to know the people making the decisions recognise the work we do and how much it means to the community. I’d absolutely recommend other Gosport groups apply and become a Good Cause with the lottery.”
Friends of Leesland Park are already members of the Gosport Community Lottery as a registered Good Cause. Being a Good Cause means that local groups can receive a share of the money raised through ticket sales. Supporters choose which cause they want to support when buying tickets, with 50p of every £1 going directly to their chosen organisation. It’s a simple way for charities and community groups to raise ongoing funds, and it also gives them access to apply for grants like the Gosport Community Fund.