‘Delight’ as four parks in Mid Sussex win prestigious Green Flag awards

Beech Hurst Gardens and Victoria Park in Haywards Heath, St Johns Park in Burgess Hill and East Court and Ashplats Wood in East Grinstead will proudly fly the prestigious Green Flag in 2020/21, a sign to the public that they boast the highest possible environmental standards, are beautifully maintained and have excellent visitor facilities.

They join more than 2,000 green spaces across the UK to receive the Green Flag mark of quality and will be raising their flags with pride in a year when millions of people have seen the value of having great quality green spaces on their doorstep.

Councillor John Belsey, cabinet member for environment and service delivery, said: “We are absolutely delighted to once again be awarded Green Flags for Beech Hurst Gardens, St Johns Park, East Court and Ashplats Wood but we are especially pleased to receive a Green Flag Award for Victoria Park for the very first time.

“High quality green spaces mean so much to our local residents, even more so during these difficult times when we really value the time we’re able to spend outside.

“It’s wonderful that four of our parks meet the Green Flag standard of excellence and these awards celebrate the dedication that goes into maintaining them to such a high level.”

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by 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 UK and around the world.

Winning an award brings with it a wealth of benefits, from the status of being affiliated with a prestigious awards programme through to tangible benefits such as boosting tourism and opening up revenue opportunities.

Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “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, four Mid Sussex parks have achieved the highest international standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”