Preston celebrates Green Flag awards

14 October 2020

Preston celebrates as parks and green spaces once again win Green Flag Awards

Record-breaking year as more than 2,000 green spaces across the country get international quality mark.

Today, parks and green spaces across the country will be raising their Green Flag Awards with pride in a year when millions of people have seen the value of having great quality green spaces on their doorstep.

The list of awards for Preston are:

• Ashton Park
• Avenham and Miller Parks (combined award)
• Fishwick Bottoms
• Haslam Park
• Moor Park
• Winckley Square Gardens

The Friends of Haslam Park also hold a Green Flag Community Award for their volunteer management of the sensory and rose gardens, and the Local Nature Reserve.

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.

Preston's parks and open spaces are a few of more than 2,000 sites across the country to collect the award for 2020.

Councillor Robert Boswell, Cabinet member for environment, said:

"We are absolutely delighted to receive awards as part of the Green Flag Awards Scheme here in Preston.

"We know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and visitors, and these awards celebrate the dedication that goes into maintaining Preston's parks and green spaces to such a high standard.

"It's great recognition for all the hard work by park rangers, gardeners, staff, volunteers and Friends Groups to keep all our parks and open spaces looking at their best all year round."

Commenting on Preston's success, Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE added:

"This year, more than ever, our parks and green spaces have been a lifeline and we know that millions of people have used them to relax, meet friends, exercise or simply escape for a short time.

"It is testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of parks staff and volunteers that, despite the challenges that went along with record numbers of visitors, Preston City Council has achieved the highest international standards for the green spaces across the city, demanded by the Green Flag Award."

More information

The Green Flag Awards Scheme is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, in partnership in the UK with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. The scheme also operates in an additional 14 countries including Portugal, New Zealand and USA.

Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity. We set the standard for the management of parks and beaches, inspire people to be litter-free, to waste less and to live more. We run programmes including Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/ Seaside Awards for beaches.

Any green space that is free to enter and accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award.

Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag Award status.

A Green Flag Community Award recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups. Green Heritage Site accreditation is judged on the treatment of the site's historic features and the standard of conservation.