Sandford Park wins Green Flag special status for the first year

The council and its partners are again celebrating the Green Flag awards – as Cheltenham retains six flags for its parks and wins a seventh award.

Image of Cllr Iain Dobie and members of the Friends of Sandford Park.

Sandford Park, Hatherley Park, Montpellier Gardens, Naunton Park, Pittville Park, Springfields Park and Winston Churchill Memorial Gardens are seven of 2,216 UK winners.

The award showcases the international quality mark for parks and green spaces, recognising them as being amongst the country’s finest. The news that all these parks have achieved the Green Flag Award is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that makes the green space a great space everyone can enjoy.

Pittville Park has also again achieved the Green Heritage Site Accreditation, supported by Historic England, for the management of its historic features.

Cllr Iain Dobie, cabinet member for waste, recycling and street services, said: “We are delighted to receive a Green Flag award for seven of our town’s parks this year - including Sandford Park for the first time. These awards demonstrate the achievement and dedication of our volunteers, friends of groups, green space team, UBICO grounds maintenance and cleansing team who work hard to maintain these beautiful areas to such a high standard.’’

Richard Woolley, chair of the Friends of Sandford Park, said: “It is a great honour for our park to have been chosen to receive the internationally recognised Green Flag award for the first time. It indicates the hard work and passion that all members of the team give to this wonderful park.”

Chris Archibald, volunteer co-ordinator of the Friends of Pittville Park, said: “It is great news that Pittville Park has again been awarded Green Flag status and has retained its Green Heritage Site Accreditation, we are looking forward to working with the council’s green space team during the coming year to help maintain the high standards of care the park receives."

Commenting on the announcement of this year’s winners, Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “Our parks continue to provide a vital sanctuary for communities to play, grow and bond.
“The news that a record number of parks in the UK have achieved the Green Flag Award standard reflects the tireless work of those tasked with looking after these national assets.

“At Keep Britain Tidy, we’re very proud of the Green Flag Award - a crucial component in ensuring the continuing quality of our parks and green spaces, making sure they are managed to the highest standards and are safe and accessible. We believe it should be a minimum standard for every park – and that everyone, wherever they live, should have access to high-quality green space.
Parks play a key role in the health and wellbeing of the nation, not only in the physical and mental health of us all, but also in the environmental health of the planet. Congratulations to all this year’s winners.”

Images of Sandford Park taken by Mikal Ludlow Photography.

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available here.

To keep up to date with all the latest news about Cheltenham’s parks and gardens, visit Cheltenham Borough Council parks website.