Six parks in Stafford Borough have again been rated as some of the best in the UK.

The roll of honour for the UK’s best parks and open spaces includes Victoria Park and Wildwood Park in Stafford claiming their nineteenth and sixth ‘Green Flags’ in a row - with the town’s Tixall Road crematorium, and 160-year-old cemetery in Eccleshall Road, retaining their fourteenth and eighth awards respectively.

Stonefield Park in Stone is celebrating a decade of ‘Green Flag’ success and the town’s cemetery has been awarded the honour for a seventh time.

The accreditation is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces - and the six council run sites were among more than 2,000 UK winners this year.

Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said: “Congratulations to everyone who has worked tirelessly to ensure that these parks and green spaces achieve the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.

“Quality parks and green spaces like these sites make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.

“Crucially, they are a vital green space for communities in Stafford Borough to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”

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 the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

Joss Presland, Head of Operations at the Borough Council, said: “It is great to have independent feedback from judges representing a national organisation about how well maintained and managed these important green spaces are.

“A big thank you to all those who do excellent work on the ground and behind the scenes to ensure our parks and green spaces are appreciated by the tens of thousands of people who visit them.”

He added: “We should also not forget the contribution of the community, especially the ‘Friends’ groups, that support the work of the council at these sites and are instrumental in us receiving these ‘Green Flags.’”

Any green space that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter the scheme, with the awards presented each year.  

More about borough parks from www.staffordbc.gov.uk/stafford-borough-parks

Press Release No 6225