It’s Green Flags all the way for Bury’s parks

Bury’s 12 main parks have been awarded Green Flags by Keep Britain Tidy for the 8^th year in a row.

This is yet another achievement to add to Bury’s award-winning green spaces. Earlier this month Bury won Britain in Bloom North West for the 14^th year running and Radcliffe was awarded a silver gilt.

The national Green Flag award scheme, run by Keep Britain Tidy, recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces across the country. A Green Flag flying overhead is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible standards, is well maintained and has excellent facilities.

Bury has one of the highest ratios of Green Flag parks across the country.

The Green Flag dozen are: Close Park, Openshaw Park, Hoyles Park, Clarence Park, Whitehead Park, Whitefield Park, Bolton Road Park, St Mary’s Park, Town Meadow Park, Nuttall Park, Manchester Road Park, and Burrs Country Park.

Burrs Country Park was one of the first to gain the Green Flag standard back in 2003 and, thanks to the efforts of local community volunteers, partners and council officers, the park has gone from strength to strength.And, with direction from Burrs Strategy and the Strategy Development Group, Burrs is set to become a destination park of the future.

Councillor Alan Quinn, cabinet member for environment, said: “We are absolutely delighted that yet again all 12 of our parks have received the Green Flag Award from Keep Britain Tidy. The excellent standard of our parks and green spaces adds to the many reasons why Bury is a premier destination for leisure; and it’s particularly important too that local people have access to quality facilities on their doorstep.

“A massive ‘thank you’ goes to our parks and countryside service, our grounds maintenance team and all partners, volunteers and community groups. It’s our community pulling together as one that helps achieves these fantastic results for everyone.”

Some of the factors contributing to Bury’s ongoing Green Flag success include:

• Self-managed bowling greens and football pitches and the voluntary groups involved who do stunning work to keep their sites running.
• Persona creating adult day care services in our green spaces. “The Green” cafe at Clarence Park, at Bolton Road Park and at Hoyles Park has increased the attractiveness and number of users of those parks, as has “The Welly” Cafe at Manchester Road Park, with Bury EST increasing volunteer numbers who work on the bowling green, in their vegetable garden and in the park.
• The Friends of Nuttall Park who brought in extensive funding to widen the perimeter path around Nuttall Park.
• The excellent volunteers who look after some of the beds in Openshaw Park and St Mary’s Flower Park to give a good show every year.
• Bury Volunteer Ranger Service who carry out environmental works across the borough and do so to the highest of standards.
• The exceptional work of Incredible Edible groups introducing fruit and vegetable beds.

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme. All the flags flying this year are a testament to the efforts of the thousands of men and women, both staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”

To find out more about Bury’s Green Flag dozen visit www.bury.gov.uk/parks

ENDS

Press release issued: 5 December 2017.

Notes to editors:

A full list of Green Flag Award and Green Flag Community Award winners is available here http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/greenflagawards2015/2334

The Green Flag Awards Scheme (http://greenflagaward.org/) is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under licence from the Department of Communities and Local Government, in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens and the National Housing Federation.

Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity. We inspire people to be litter-free, to waste less and to live more. We are run programmes including Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/ Seaside Awards for beaches. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy, our programmes and campaigns visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.

Any green space that is 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 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.