Chair’s Welcome

I am delighted as Chair of the Friends to welcome you to our website. Bushy Park and Home Park are two wonderful large green oases in the south west corner of London. Feeling wild, they are natural places with ancient histories, fascinating heritage and superb wildlife. Both are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) containing rare species. These are places to be enjoyed and conserved. Which is why the Friends exist, campaigning, supporting and protecting the parks, and enhancing visitors’ enjoyment with information, advice and guidance.

We are always pleased to receive feedback. You can contact us by clicking here.

Olympics & the Parks

The London 2012 Olympics came to Bushy and Home Parks on several occasions. The Olympic Torch began the final relay leg in Bushy Park, travelling down Chestnut Avenue and across into Hampton Court Palace gardens before boarding the royal barge Gloriana to be rowed down the Thames to the Olympic Stadium.

The men’s and women’s road cycle races and time trials all came through the area, cheered on by the crowds and captured by local photographers. Our competition looked for images that captured the excitement of the events, and the sense of locality in and around the Parks.

Congratulations to our worthy winners:

1st: Peleton by Stephen Darlington
2nd: Olympic Flags by Cheryl Meek
3rd: Time Trial Excitement by Lewis Lloyd

There were many other excellent submissions and we hope you enjoy looking through them and remembering our Olympic summer.

Walks & Talks

Forthcoming event

Friday, 25th Oct 8:00 pm

The history of Feltham’s Ponds: the Three Jewels in Feltham’s Crown by Angela Patton

Latest report

On Saturday 8 June 2019 from 11am to 3pm members of the Friends of Bushy and Home Parks will be at the SHAEF memorial (near SHAEF Gate) and at Teddington Gate to help you envisage the scene 75 years ago when General Dwight D Eisenhower and his staff in Bushy Park were planning the campaign to liberate occupied Europe.

Full report...

Visitor Centre

The Visitor Centre next to the Pheasantry café is where our volunteers help visitors find out more about the parks and where visitors can purchase souvenirs of your visit to support our work.

Click this panel to visit our Visitor Centre section and also to find out how you can get involved as a volunteer.