Six parks, which more than ever play an important role in people’s physical and mental well-being, have won an award.
All six parks, managed by West Suffolk Council, have been awarded the Green Flag in recognition for being safe, clean and well looked after.
The West Suffolk Green Flag winners are:
- Abbey Gardens in Bury St Edmunds
- Aspal Close Nature Reserve, Beck Row
- Brandon Country Park,
- East Town Park, Haverhill,
- Nowton Park
- West Stow Country Park
Cllr Jo Rayner, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture said: “The pandemic has meant that our parks and green spaces have never been so important. While they have always been popular, we managed to keep them open during lockdown and people were grateful to be able to get out to our parks to exercise, to walk and to mentally recharge. That importance, at what has been a time of huge strain on us all, cannot be underestimated.”
Cllr John Griffiths, Leader of West Suffolk Council said: “The proactive management of our parks and green spaces is part of what makes West Suffolk such a desirable place to live and work. As well as being attractive places to visit, our parks play an important role in conserving natural habitats and increasing biodiversity. While it has obviously been, and continues to be, a challenging year for us all, I’m proud of the West Suffolk staff and the volunteers that have continued to keep these wonderful green spaces so well cared for, safe and clean, for so many people to go out and enjoy.”
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for their management across the United Kingdom and around the world. It operates in the UK and an additional 14 countries including Portugal, New Zealand and USA.