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• Record number of top quality parks and green spaces are announced

• Date:

  21st July 2006

• Contact:

  Sarah Egerton

• Organisation:

  The Civic Trust

The nation's best parks and green spaces were revealed today by Liveability Minister Kay Andrews.

A record 423 Green Flag Awards - the national benchmark for quality parks and green spaces - have been awarded to sites across England and Wales.

Winners are judged to be welcoming, safe and well maintained with the strong involvement of the local community. This year, the 10th anniversary of the scheme, has seen a 31 per cent rise in the number of winners, further evidence of the renaissance of our parks and green spaces highlighted by the National Audit Office earlier this year.

Visiting the award-winning St Ann’s Well community park in Hove, located around a Saxon spring, which features a scented garden, Kay Andrews said:

“This has been a decade of real achievement for our parks and green spaces. Across the country, communities have seen a renaissance take place in their local environment, with parks and green spaces once again becoming places of pride, bringing people together and improving their quality of life. The record number of Green Flag winners is testament to this success.

“I want to congratulate all the winners and the commitment and skill of all those involved in creating such high quality parks and green spaces. Challenges remain to ensure all communities benefit from this renaissance and the Green Flag Award will continue to be at the heart of driving up standards. Our ambition is that everyone should have easy access to superb green space where they live, work and spend their leisure time.”

Paul Todd, the Green Flag Award scheme’s programme manager, said:

“As a charity concerned with urban renaissance, the Civic Trust is delighted to once again announce a huge growth in winners, highlighting the importance quality green spaces play in our communities. These winning sites are all freely accessible to the public, providing time out from the stresses of modern day life. Well done to the many dedicated parks staff, friends groups and passionate individuals who have worked hard to provide these vital green spaces which help improve the quality of life for everyone.”

In addition, 74 community run sites were awarded Green Pennants and 21 sites achieved Green Heritage Site Accreditation.

Following the announcement, many of these Green Flags will be hoisted during a week long celebration of these fantastic green spaces encouraging people to ‘Take to Your Local Park’ from Saturday July 29 to Sunday 6 August.

The Green Flag Award is a key component of the Government’s commitment to create cleaner, safer, green communities. The 10th anniversary of the Scheme will be marked by a major ceremony at the International Conference Centre in Birmingham on Thursday 3 August when all winners will be awarded their Green Flags.