THE Green Flag Award programme is now open for applications. 

In July, Keep Wales Tidy unveiled that a record-breaking 40 community managed green spaces in Wales met the high standard needed to receive the prestigious Green Flag Community Award 2015/16.

A huge variety of parks and green spaces can apply for a Green Flag Community Award. Among this year’s recipients were, for the first time, St Marcella’s Churchyard in Denbigh, Dwyfor Gardening Project in Pwllheli and Our Garden in Evanstown, Bridgend.

The Green Flag Award is a UK-wide partnership, delivered in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy with support from Natural Resources Wales. It is judged by an army of green space experts, who volunteer their time to visit applicant sites and assess them against eight strict criteria, including horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability and community involvement.

In October, celebrated broadcaster and naturalist, Iolo Williams, presented this year’s Green Flag Award winners with their certificates at a ceremony held at St Fagans National History Museum.

Our Garden volunteer, Mark Street, spoke at the Green Flag Award ceremony and explained why winning the Community Award meant so much to his community: “The Green Flag Community Award reflects the commitment and dedication of the local volunteers who have worked tirelessly over the past three years to turn an area of derelict land into a thriving community facility.

“We hope that achieving this prestigious award will provide a further boost to community pride in Evanstown. The aim is to build on this success and work towards our long-term goals.”

Lucy Prisk, Green Flag Coordinator at Keep Wales Tidy said: “The Green Flag Award programme helps to ensure communities have top quality and accessible green space, enabling them to enjoy and experience the outdoors, which is fundamental to the wellbeing and quality of life of our communities in Wales.

“Any sites interested in applying for the Green Flag Community Award 2016/17 should get in touch as soon as possible to enter. Together we can continue to raise the standards of parks and green space in Wales.” 

For further information, contact Lucy Prisk at [email protected], 02920 726964 or 07469 118876.