Five parks in Bath have once again been officially recognised as being among the best green spaces in the country.
Parks volunteers with staff from the council’s parks team | Photo courtesy of B&NES Council
For the third year running, Alexandra Park, Bloomfield Green, Hedgemead Park, Henrietta Park and Royal Victoria Park have all won Green Flags, the international mark of quality for being well-managed.
Green Flags are awarded by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to parks and green spaces that boast the highest environmental standards, are beautifully maintained and have excellent visitor facilities. This year marks the award’s Silver Jubilee.
Councillor Jess David, cabinet assistant for Neighbourhood Services said: “We are incredibly proud to be able to fly the Green Flag in these five Bath parks for a third year running.
“Our parks and green spaces help to support people’s health and wellbeing and they are really valued by residents with visits increasing by 60% since the start of the pandemic.
“They also play a key role in helping tackle the climate and ecological emergencies and we work hard to manage them in an environmentally sustainable way while promoting best practice amongst our communities.
“For example, through our Get Bath & North East Somerset Buzzing campaign, we’ve created wildflower meadows and reduced mowing to help improve biodiversity and habitats for bees, butterflies and other wildlife.
“I’d like to thank our parks team and the volunteer Friends groups for all their hard work in maintaining all our beautiful parks and for really making a difference to people’s lives.”
Four out of the five Bath parks awarded Green Flags benefit from support from volunteer Friends groups.
Although some activities were curtailed by Covid restrictions this year, the groups have continued to work alongside the council’s parks team clearing litter and helping to maintain the parks.
In Hedgemead Park, the Friends group have launched a new Tree Trail, installed history interpretation boards, held bulb planting parties and improved the park’s wildflower areas, while Henrietta Park’s Friends Group have renovated the pond and beds in the Garden of Remembrance.
The Friends groups at Alexandra Park and Bloomfield Park continue to tidy, maintain and monitor the parks.
B&NES Council says the volunteer team and community groups who work in the Botanical Garden at Royal Victoria Park (RVP) have had a huge impact on raising horticultural standards and have created new exciting borders.
The Nursery at RVP has also continued this year to host horticultural training workshops in partnership with the social enterprise The Urban Garden.
Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making the five parks in Bath worthy of a Green Flag Award.
“To meet the requirements demanded by the scheme is testament to the hard work of the staff and volunteers who do so much to ensure that the parks achieve high standards of horticulture, safety and environmental management and are places that support people to live healthy lives.”
