We’re very pleased that right across the country, parks that our volunteers help maintain have Green Flag Awards in this year’s awards.
After passing the standard at both full judging and mystery shopping, many have retained their Green Flag Award for 2015-16, along with some new entries.
In London, our volunteers have done a spectacular job in Brockwell Park over the past few years. We’re particularly proud of the installation and maintenance of the 600m2 wildflower slope in front of the Lido. This has become a show piece for the park and in early summer, it has a rich display of poppies. We have also installed an 800m long native perimeter hedgerow for wildlife, which covers the entire length of the western park edge.
In partnership with Belfast City Council, TCV delivers community gardens and allotment projects that help local groups and individuals learn about vegetable growing, healthy eating, and improving green spaces. Musgrave Park Community Garden is one example where volunteers have created vegetable beds and hanging baskets, as well as the daily task of keeping weeds down.
Our very own Hollybush Conservation Centre in Leeds has its fourth successive Green Flag Community Award. Along with gardening activities, volunteers run the Hollybush Café, which is open to the public.
John Preston, Area Manager Hollybush says of the award: “This recognises the effort the volunteers make maintaining the Hollybush Garden as an asset for our own volunteer groups and for visitors from the nearby canal.”
And in Scotland, we’re proud to say we’ve worked with around three quarters of the winners on the list over the years! One great example of our volunteers’ work is at Corstorphine Hill. Here we have removed many bags of litter from this recreational area, as well as helped to maintain the walled garden.
The Green Flag Awards are a mark of a quality park or green space and can be awarded to parks, cemeteries, universities, shopping centres and community gardens that show high horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability and community involvement.
As well as being proud of the awards for the parks we work in, it’s fantastic to see that 1,582 other spaces across the UK have achieved this accolade, showing that more and more spaces across the UK are being cared for and used by communities.
Find out more about volunteering opportunities at a park near you