Date:
16 August 2023
Epsom Common awarded the coveted Green Flag Award
as it is officially recognised as one of the country’s best parks.
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council is celebrating receiving a Green Flag Award for Epsom Common Local Nature Reserve (LNR) for the 17th consecutive year.
The news that Epsom Common LNR has once again achieved the accreditation - the international quality mark for parks and green spaces - is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that care for the green space, so that everyone can enjoy it.
Councillor John Beckett, Chair of the Environment Committee said:
“Epsom Common is a beautiful and biodiverse space that we are incredibly fortunate to be able to enjoy in our borough. The Countryside Team at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council work tirelessly with volunteers and partners, including the Epsom Common Association, the Lower Mole Partnership and Natural England, to manage and protect this precious Local Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest.
“The news that Epsom Common Local Nature Reserve has achieved the Green Flag Award for the 17th year in a row is a welcome tribute to the hard work of all the people who work year-round, rain or shine, to ensure it continues to flourish.”
To find out more about the wonderful countryside managed by the Countryside Team at the council, take a look at the walks and tours run by the team here: What's on | Epsom and Ewell Borough Council (epsom-ewell.gov.uk).
Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd MBE said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved at Epsom Common LNR in achieving a Green Flag Award.
“Epsom Common LNR is a vital green space for the community in Epsom & Ewell, bringing people together and providing opportunities to lead healthy lifestyles. Epsom & Ewell staff and volunteers do so much to ensure that it maintains the high standards of the Green Flag Award and everyone involved should feel extremely proud of their achievement.”
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, 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.
A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available here: full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces document.
Notes to editors
The Green Flag Award Scheme (https://greenflagaward.org/) is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.
Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity. They set the standard for the management of parks and beaches, inspire people to be litter-free, to waste less and live more sustainably. They run campaigns and programmes including the Great British Spring Clean, Eco-Schools, Love Parks, Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/ Seaside Awards for beaches. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy and their campaigns and programmes, visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.
Any green space that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award. Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag Award status. A Green Flag Community Award recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups. Green Heritage Site Accreditation is judged on the treatment of the site’s historic features and the standard of conservation.
ENDS -
Press enquiries
Contact the Keep Britain Tidy press office:
Helen Bingham helen.bingham@keepbritaintidy.org
Keep Britain Tidy Mobile: 07768 880016
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council Communications Team
Email: communications@epsom-ewell.gov.uk
Phone: 01372 327000