Parks recognised with coveted award

Gloucester Park has been given a Green Flag Award by the charity Keep Britain Tidy

A city park has been recognised with a coveted award.

Judges from the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy presented Gloucester Park with a Green Flag Award.

Gloucester City Council works with volunteers to manage and host events in the 200-year-old park.

Judges from the charity praised improvement work, including upgrading lighting, signage and a consultation focusing on the safety of women in the park.

Elsewhere in the county, seven parks in Cheltenham retained their Green Flag status for another year.

"Green spaces are vital to our wellbeing and help to build a sense of community where people can come together and enjoy being outdoors," said councillor Sebastian Field of the Gloucester Park award.

The panel also praised an ongoing project to grow native wildflowers in Gloucester Park and a new orchard.

And volunteers who carry out litter-picking and help repair the park's aviary were recognised for their efforts.

'Valued by community'

"This park is a great example of how you can change public perception of a greenspace and make it really valued by its community," the judges said.

"Hard work from officers and the community has resulted in investment in the park with the right variety of facilities for people to both feel safe and enjoy this green space."

And the seven Green Flag parks in Cheltenham also won praise.

Teams looking after Sandford Park, Hatherley Park, Montpellier Gardens, Naunton Park, Pittville park, Springfields Park and Winston Churchill Memorial Gardens were all recognised for their dedication.

Keep Britain Tidy said 2,227 parks and green spaces in the UK received the award this year, which was a record number.