Redbridge has been officially recognised once again for having nine of the best parks in the UK. In a record-breaking year, over 2,216 parks across the country have been awarded the prestigious Green Flag Award for 2023.
The nine award-winning Redbridge parks are:
- Claybury Park
- Clayhall Park
- Elmhurst Gardens
- Goodmayes Park
- Hainault Forest
- Ilford War Memorial
- Seven Kings Park
- South Park
- Valentines Park
The Green Flag Award is based on a criteria of eight key aspects:
- A Welcoming Place
- Healthy, Safe and Secure
- Well Maintained and Clean
- Environmental Management
- Biodiversity, Landscape and Heritage
- Community Involvement
- Marketing and Communication
- Management
Key things considered are being open to everyone, good management and maintenance, eco-friendly practices and equipment and community involvement. You can read more about what is expected within each aspect and even more about the judging criteria on the Green Flag Award website.
The news that Redbridge Parks have achieved the accreditation – the international quality mark for parks and green spaces – is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Vision RCL parks team that cares for the green spaces on behalf of Redbridge Council so that everyone can enjoy them.
Exciting times are ahead for our park users as the £7m restoration project for Hainault Forest is near completion, making the site a top attraction for families by the end of summer 2023. Earlier this spring, all park tennis courts underwent renovation bringing life back to the much-loved sport for all the community to enjoy.
Chair of Vision Trustees, Martin Solder, said:
“We are thrilled to have received nine Green Flag Awards for our parks in Redbridge. The gardens are an important part of our community, and we appreciate the continued support from all the volunteers and staff at Vision RCL in maintaining our sites to such a high standard. I would like to thank everyone involved.”
The Deputy Leader of Redbridge Council, Cllr Kam Rai, said:
Our award-winning parks are a vital lifeline for local people who want to unwind and escape the stress of modern life.
They offer the perfect sanctuary to enjoy a leisurely walk surrounded by nature, a picnic with family and friends, or play a game of tennis at one of our newly refurbished tennis courts.
“To achieve Green Flag status for nine of our local parks once again is a testament to the hard work of our parks staff who brave all weathers to keep our beautiful parks in such pristine condition, and park visitors who respect our green spaces by not littering.
Despite more than a decade of government austerity, we’ve continued to invest in our parks so that local people can have a great experience when they visit. This is part of our commitment to ensuring Redbridge remains the best place to live, work, and visit.”
Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd MBE said:
I would like to congratulate everyone involved in Redbridge for achieving a Green Flag Award for nine parks. These are vital green spaces for the community in Redbridge, bringing people together and providing opportunities to lead healthy lifestyles. The staff and volunteers do so much to ensure that they maintain 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 complete list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available here.