Brocks Hill Country Park in Oadby and Wigston’s Peace Memorial Park have achieved the Green Flag Award for the 15th year running.
The coveted national award, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard both in the UK and internationally.
Brocks Hill Country Park and Peace Memorial Park are owned and run by Oadby & Wigston Borough Council (OWBC), and also have a strong community focus with groups of volunteers regularly helping with the upkeep of the spaces.
OWBC also works with local schools and community groups to offer a range of programmes at Brocks Hill Country Park, from a Forest School to its ‘Let’s Grow’ programme, encouraging people of all ages to learn and benefit from the space.
To meet the standard of the Green Flag Award, parks are judged against 27 criteria. This includes demonstrating that they are run with an understanding of who their users are and what they want, whilst also upholding the site’s unique history, landscape and biodiversity.
The judges’ comments on Brocks Hill Country Park praised the site for its ‘promotion of good environmental practice’ and ‘biodiversity value’ as well as recognising that the park’s ‘volunteers are enthusiastic and engaged with a broad range of activities.’
Peace Memorial Park meanwhile was lauded for being ‘a lovely, calming space to take time out in, reminisce and look forward’ while also offering a high educational value with its ‘excellent heritage display’.
Councillor David Carter, Chair of the Environment Working Group at OWBC, said: “Well-loved and maintained green spaces such as Brocks Hill Country Park and Peace Memorial Park are vital to our borough, and the past couple of years have truly highlighted what an important role they play.
“Retaining our Green Flags for 15 years is a massive achievement, and a testament to the efforts of our dedicated workforce and the community-spirit of those who are involved – thank you to all.”
Eleanor Pratt, Park Ranger and leader of the volunteers at Brocks Hill Country Park, said: “I would like to thank our volunteers for the incredible work they put in year-round to help maintain and improve the space.
“The park is extremely valuable to the volunteer groups as well as to the wider community and plays a key role in local residents’ mental and physical wellbeing. It’s also a significant local resource to learn and develop key rural and countryside management skills in our parks.
“Receiving the Green Flag Award is fantastic recognition of this, and hopefully will lead to more people learning about the park and how they can also benefit or get involved.”
