St Helens Borough raises new Green Flag Awards over six quality green spaces

The council has been successful in retaining Green Flag status for Taylor Park, Mesnes Park and Victoria Park, with new awards for Sutton Park and Bankes Park.

The Friends of St Helens Cemetery have also retained Community Green Flag status for the Memorial Gardens within St Helens Cemetery and Crematorium, where the volunteer group have created and maintained peaceful green spaces for people to visit and reflect. This makes six Green Flags in St Helens Borough

The sites are among 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award, which is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

The news that all six sites have met the standards required for the accreditation is testament to the hard work and dedication of the council teams and community volunteers that care for them, for the enjoyment of residents and visitors.

Councillor Tracy Dickinson, St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Environmental Services, said:

"We're delighted to announce that two more of our amazing green spaces have been achieved this benchmark international standard, bringing the borough's total to six Green Flags.

"These achievements are as much for all our parks across the borough receiving the same level of care and attention for residents to enjoy, and it's our ambition to get more of our green spaces Green Flag accredited.

"We have some outstanding parks and open spaces in our borough and I would like to thank our incredible staff and amazing volunteer groups who work hard all year around to maintain them to such a high standard.

"These spaces provide vital places for us to breathe in the heart of our neighbourhoods and we would encourage residents and visitors to make the most of them.

"So whether you're out with your friends in one of the 110 beautiful and freely accessible public parks across the borough, taking your family to one of our 67 play areas, or finding a new trail for your evening dog walk or morning run, there's something for everyone to enjoy in our parks and green spaces."

Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said:

"Congratulations to everyone involved in St Helens Borough who have worked tirelessly to ensure that these sites achieve the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.

"Quality parks and green spaces like Taylor, Mesnes, Victoria, Sutton and Bankes Parks make the country a healthier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.

"Crucially, these are vital green spaces for communities in St Helens Borough to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space."

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.