Six parks get Green Flag status

Six parks in West Suffolk have been awarded Green Flag status.

They are Aspal Close Nature Reserve, in Beck Row; Brandon Country Park, East Town Park, in Haverhill; Nowton Park and The Abbey Gardens, in Bury St Edmunds; and West Stow Country Park.

It’s the sixth year running that all six have won.

Green Flag Status is a recognised national quality mark for parks and green spaces.

This award comes just 10 days before the start of Love Parks Week – a campaign by Keep Britain Tidy to encourage people to get out and enjoy the parks in their area.

They are all managed by West Suffolk Council, and Ian Shipp, the cabinet member for Leisure, said: “Our parks are hugely important to our communities and to the council’s ambition for a thriving West Suffolk.

“They are an important part of our strategic priority for Thriving Communities, providing clean, green, attractive places where residents can enjoy going for a walk, meeting for a run, and where children can play, supporting people’s physical and mental health.

“Our parks support biodiversity including bees, butterflies and other pollinators and wildlife, delivering toward our strategic priority for environmental resilience.

“They also have a role in supporting the sustainable growth of our economy.

“The Abbey Gardens alone receives over 1.3 million visits each year, contributing to the fantastic mix of leisure, culture and heritage that continues to attract visitors to West Suffolk every year.

“That’s why I am delighted that our investment in our parks and the hard work of our staff and volunteers has been recognised with six Green Flag Awards for the sixth year running.”

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.