Friends of Sutton Park
The Friends of Sutton Park Association (FOSPA) seeks to protect, conserve and promote Sutton Park.
FoSPA includes groups that carry out practical conservation projects in the park under the guidance of the park rangers, most prominently through the following groups:
- the conservation volunteers, who meet every 2 weeks on a Sunday
- the park house volunteers, who meet on the third Friday of every month
Tasks include:
- footpath repair
- bridge-building
- stream bank restoration
- scrub clearance to protect the heathland
- felling trees to reinstate bat flight paths
- creating dead hedges to create better microhabitats whilst protecting heritage assets
New volunteers are always welcome to join the association on one of their practical conservation projects. FoSPA will provide you with all the training and tools required for each task. Everyone only does what they can.
Bring along a packed lunch, appropriate footwear and a pair of gardening gloves. If it is your first time volunteering with FoSPA, contact FoSPA by emailing sutton.park.visitors.centre@birmingham.gov.uk to confirm the date, meeting point and time.
For insurance purposes, all volunteers must be FoSPA members, but your first volunteering session is a free taster session. FoSPA membership is £10 per year.
The FoSPA conservation team can support a limited number of Duke of Edinburgh Volunteers, but all volunteers aged 17 and under will need to be accompanied by their responsible adult.
FoSPA also organise a range of events, including guided expert walks in Sutton Park and expert talks on related topics. These events are usually free for FoSPA members but cost £3 for non-members. For more information, view the FoSPA website or Facebook page.
The association works closely with the Sutton Park ranger service, and its conservation projects are always in keeping with the park's management plans, approved by Natural England and Historic England.
FoSPA is a member of the Sutton Park Advisory Committee, which meets regularly to oversee the park's management and use. The committee links the park’s various community and conservation groups and the council that manages the park.
Page last updated: 31 March 2026
