Beauty spots throughout Shropshire commended with Green Flag Award
Parks and green spaces throughout Shropshire have been commended with national awards recognising their good upkeep and importance within the community.
A total of six beauty spots throughout the county have been given the Green Flag Award.
Dawley Park and Hartshill Park join Telford Town Park in picking up the award throughout the borough of Telford & Wrekin, while Severn Valley Country Park and Stanmore Country Park near Bridgnorth, and The Mere in Ellesmere have also been rewarded.
Southwater in Telford will be lit up in green from tonight until Sunday to celebrate the borough's achievement, while volunteers throughout the rest of Shropshire are celebrating their hard work.
The White Cliffs of Dover and London Stadium are among other local landmarks going green for their parks.
The 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.
This is the second time the Friends of Stanmore Country Park have scooped the prestigious award.
Andy Howard, chairman of the group, said: "We are absolutely delighted that Stanmore has again been recognised in this way, in turn reflecting the hard work and dedication of all the volunteers together with the rangers from Shropshire Council."
He added that the award comes at a time when the future of the park, which is situated within the greenbelt, is still not 100 per cent certain until the final outcome of Shropshire Council's Local Plan Review is known.
Telford & Wrekin Councillor Carolyn Healy, cabinet member for parks, said: “This is wonderful news. Like the rest of the country, our parks and green spaces have been a lifeline for so many people this year. We have all used them to relax, meet friends and exercise.
“More visitors brings more challenges for those who help look after our parks, so to achieve the standards demanded by the Green Flag Award for not one, but three parks, is a fantastic achievement.”
Maintenance contractors idverde are responsible for the upkeep of parks throughout Telford.
Paul Slack, operations director from idverde, added: “This is fantastic news and a significant achievement for the borough of Telford & Wrekin and brings some positive news during difficult times. I am extremely proud of the local idverde team which has put in the effort working alongside council officers and others to achieve the required grade and look forward to seeing the new flags flying high.”
Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “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, Dawley Park, Hartshill Park and Telford Town Park have achieved the highest international standards.”
