Green Flag Award - Other Schemes

What the Judges Will be Looking for in your Green Space

Each green space will be judged on its own merit by an expert who will visit each site. You won’t be in competition with others - an Award will be given to any green space that is judged to meet the criteria. To ensure that your green space stands the best chance of receiving an Award, you may like to consider the issues that our judges will be looking for.

A Welcoming Place
First impressions are all important and your site should look inviting, with free public access and attractive, easy-to-find entrances and appropriate signage. Access issues for people with disabilities should also have been considered and your site should appeal to a wide range of members of the community.

Healthy, Safe and Secure
Your site must be safe. There should be evidence that the issues of health, safety and security, not just of the members of your organisation, but also of visitors to your site, has been taken seriously. It should be apparent that the issue of dog fouling has been addressed.

Well Maintained and Clean
There should be an appropriate standard of maintenance throughout the site, with effective management in place to combat litter and graffiti. The Award does not expect a very formal ‘manicured’maintenance standard, but at the same time, recognises the high quality of work carried out by community groups.

Environmental Sustainability
Judges will be looking out for consideration of environmental issues such as waste recycling and minimisation, use of sustainable materials and minimising the use of peat and pesticides.

Biodiversity and Heritage
Each green space is unique and has its own character. Judges will be looking to see if any conservation issues on your site have been dealt with appropriately. If your site has historic features, have they too been recognised and managed accordingly?

Community Involvement
This is a key area. Judges will be looking at how well your site relates both to your local community and to the wider community (those people from further afield who come to visit your site) and about how you promote your site.

They will also be interested to hear about how you recruit your volunteers or members, and about how they are involved in site operations and decision making.

Achievements
Here judges will be looking at what you have achieved, not only in terms of managing the green space, but also what funding and resources you have secured and how you have used them. How creative and innovative you have been with projects on your site will also be of interest here.

Judges score each green space against a detailed checklist based on the above criteria. Any site that achieves a high enough score will receive an Award.

What the Judges Will be Looking for in your Green Space

Winners in your region