This year marks 30 years of Green Flag Awards, which celebrated 2,391 parks and green spaces across the UK.

The award recognises parks and green spaces that are safe, welcoming and well-managed.

Paul Todd, Green Flag Award manager at Keep Britain Tidy, comments:

“Parks and green spaces play such a vital role in our communities, bringing people together, reducing loneliness, creating safe, free spaces for children to play and allowing everyone equal access to nature, all of which has a proven impact on our wellbeing and quality of life.”

What began as just seven winning parks in its first year of Green Flag Awards, the international accolade has grown to “demonstrate what can be achieved through sustained investment, expertise and long-term stewardship,” adds Todd.

Manchester, for example, has announced seven of its parks and green spaces have been awarded Green Flag Awards.

In connection to the awards, Keep Britain Tidy has released new research to mark the 30th anniversary.

The research finds a growing “Green Divide” across Britain. The nationally representative YouGov survey of more than 2,000 adults found stark differences in the quality and safety of local green spaces between the richest and poorest areas in the country.

Just 27% of people in the most deprived areas describe their local park as ‘safe’, compared to 46% in the least deprived areas, while 21% say their local park is ‘run-down’, compared to just 9% in the least deprived areas. Plus, only 39% rate their local park as ‘good’, compared to 49% in the most affluent communities.

In response, Keep Britain Tidy calls on local authorities to prioritise investment in parks in areas of deprivation and to sue the Green Flag Award as a benchmark standard.

On the theme of great green spaces and parks, The Pro Landscaper Sustainability & Biodiversity Awards are currently open and looking to recognise examples of projects, organisations, products and people whose work help advocate and showcase the value and critical role of landscape and wider societal benefits they realise.

For more information on these awards and categories – Categories – Pro Landscaper Sustainability Awards