Green Flag Award for Preston's magnificent seven parks

Fountains, history and rose, sensory and Japanese gardens are just some of the attractions in the city’s top parks.

The seven awarded Green Flag Status this year include Ashton Park, Avenham and Miller Parks, Fishwick Bottoms, Haslam Park, Moor Park and Winckley Square Gardens.

Coun Robert Boswell, Preston Council’s Cabinet member for environment, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive awards as part of the Green Flag Awards Scheme here in Preston.

“We know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and visitors, and these awards celebrate the dedication that goes into maintaining Preston’s parks and green spaces to such a high standard.

“It’s great recognition for all the hard work by park rangers, gardeners, staff, volunteers and Friends groups to keep all our parks and open spaces looking at their best all year round.”

The prestigious Green Flag Award is a Green Heritage accreditation or a Green Flag Community Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.

Winckley Square Gardens has also retained the much coveted additional Green Heritage Site Accreditation for the management of the historic gardens.

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said:“Each flag honours the thousands of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award. We congratulate each and every winner on their fantastic achievement.”

As well as an award for the park, The Friends of Haslam Park also hold a Green Flag Community Award for their volunteer management of the sensory and rose gardens and the Local Nature Reserve.

Christopher Smith, of the group, said the award provided recognition of the work that is been done.

He added: “It also says to people this is a place worth coming to. We normally put 2,000 hours a year into the work that we do. All of that is voluntary.

“We have a core group of about 10 people but then there are people who are members of the Wildlife Trust and naturalists who help us. “

The dog walking community have been doing litter picks while they have been taking their dogs on walks round the parks.

“Not only is the park a great place for children, adults and people playing sports or going on walks, we have got a 40-acre nature reserve, a vital space for wildlife."