End of Year Highlights: 2024
As the year comes to a close, we’re reflecting on a remarkable 2024 at The Royal Parks charity.
From exciting new projects to conservation milestones and community initiatives, there’s so much to celebrate. Here's a look at some of the key highlights:
Planting for the Parks
This year our talented Hyde Park nursery team grew an incredible half a million plants for the Royal Parks. From bedding to Buckingham Palace geraniums, the plants and how they’re arranged are part of what makes the parks so special.
For the second year in a row, we were able to run our Plants for Communities initiative, where we gave away plants to local charities, schools and community groups.
Protecting Biodiversity
Our biodiversity team continued their vital work safeguarding some of London's most treasured wildlife habitats.
Thanks to the support of players of the People’s Postcode Lottery and our amazing volunteers, we’ve diversified grasslands with native plant species, enhancing resilience against climate change and supporting invertebrates and carbon capture. From wetlands to woodlands and acid grasslands, our conservation projects are helping London’s ecosystems thrive.
Greenwich Park Revealed
This year, we completed our ambitious, flagship Greenwich Park Revealed project. In March, we opened the brand-new Ignatius Sancho Café, and by summer, we completed the stunning restoration of the Grand Ascent and its iconic viewpoint. Thousands of visitors joined us for a bumper events programme, including youth festivals, archaeology showcases, and family celebrations.
Highlights included our most popular archaeology project to date, where volunteers, school groups, and university students unearthed stories of the Roman Temple landscape.
Commemorating Queen Elizabeth II
In The Regent’s Park, work began on a new garden commemorating the life of Queen Elizabeth II. This tranquil two-acre space, set to open in 2026, will feature sustainable design elements such as repurposed steel from former glasshouses and recycled concrete. With a circular pond and vibrant flower gardens, it promises to be a serene haven for both people and wildlife.
Operation Bushy Park
June marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day, a pivotal moment in world history. Much of the planning for this monumental event took place in Bushy Park, where Camp Griffiss served as the headquarters of the US Eighth Air Force. To document this historical connection, we explored the park's wartime past through a series of videos, archival images, recreated audio, and a podcast, shedding light on the park's significant role in shaping the outcome of the Second World War.
Royal Parks Half Marathon
The 17th Royal Parks Half Marathon was a record-breaking success! In October, 16,000 runners completed the 13.1-mile course, raising an extraordinary £6.8 million for 520 charities. This event, more popular than ever, continues to support our work protecting and sustainably managing the parks for everyone to enjoy.
Snowdrop the Finisher Top
This year, we launched the innovative (Snow)Drop the Finisher Top initiative. Participants of the Royal Parks Half Marathon could choose to forgo their finisher t-shirts in favour of planting snowdrops along the route. An incredible 21% of runners participated, leading to the planting of over 16,000 snowdrop bulbs in The Green Park - a beautiful sight that will support pollinators during the colder months.
Engaging Through Learning
Our Learning programme reached new heights in 2024. Hundreds of teenagers participated in real conservation work through the Green Futures project, supported by the Kusuma Trust, while free Discovery Days in Hyde Park were a hit with families.
We also unveiled a new Learning Centre in Greenwich Park, providing an idyllic space for schools and community groups to connect with nature, with thanks to our education partner the Field Studies Council for their continued support providing great opportunities for so many activities throughout the parks. The Holly Lodge Centre in Richmond Park celebrated its 30th anniversary, with none other than Sir David Attenborough joining the celebrations, alongside other passionate supporters.
A Year of Ceremonial Moments
This year, The Royal Parks hosted nine Gun Salutes across Hyde Park, The Green Park, and Horse Guards Parade.
In May, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand visited the Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park, and in June, we proudly supported the Trooping the Colour rehearsals and celebrations for the King’s Birthday Parade.
Other ceremonial highlights included state visits from the Emperor and Empress of Japan and the Amir of Qatar, as well as Remembrance Sunday events that honoured those who have served.
Major Events and Festive Fun
From the TCS London Marathon in April to Winter Wonderland in December, 2024 has been packed with unforgettable events.
Hyde Park hosted music legends like Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue at BST Hyde Park, while Swim Serpentine and the Vitality London 10k brought thousands of participants to the parks. Art enthusiasts flocked to Frieze London and Frieze Masters, and Winter Wonderland once again captured the holiday spirit with thrilling rides, festive treats, and the UK’s largest outdoor ice rink.
Supporting Through Retail
This year marked the expansion of our Royal Parks Shop, bringing a unique way for visitors to support our work.
In addition to our physical shop in Hyde Park, the team launched mobile pop-up shops that travelled across St. James’s Park, The Green Park, and Kensington Gardens, so you can pick up something special while you stroll.
Celebrating Volunteers
Volunteers are the heart of The Royal Parks, and in 2024 they contributed nearly 60,000 hours across 96 opportunities. From monitoring wildlife through citizen science surveys to scything meadows and creating ponds, their efforts have made a tangible difference. Volunteer Rangers have engaged tens of thousands of visitors, and our horticultural volunteers alone logged over 20,000 hours.
A heartfelt thank-you to every individual who helps us protect and enhance these cherished spaces.
Bringing Signs to Life
This year, over 1,000 new signs were installed across the parks, many featuring charming illustrations by Quentin Blake. These signs, along with new interpretation boards and QR codes, invite visitors to explore the rich histories and hidden treasures of spaces like Richmond Park, Kensington Gardens, and Hyde Park.
Thank You for a Memorable 2024
As we look ahead to 2025, we are deeply grateful to everyone who has supported The Royal Parks this year - our visitors, volunteers, and partners. Together, we’re making a lasting impact on these vital green spaces, ensuring they can be enjoyed for generations to come.
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