Vision RCL are pleased to announce that Valentines Park has once again been voted one of the Top Ten Green Flag Award-winning parks in the UK.
The People’s Choice Award top ten parks were announced in a special virtual awards ceremony hosted by Keep Britain Tidy, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Green Flag Award. Valentines Park was among the winners, having achieved the place for the third year running and the seventh time overall since 2012, thanks to your votes.
This is a huge achievement for our staff and volunteers who work hard to make Valentines such a great place to visit. There is so much to see at Valentines including children’s play areas, cafes, one of the biggest outdoor gyms in London, and the Grade II* listed Valentines Mansion.
Martin Solder, Chair of Trustees for Vision said:
“I am incredibly proud that Valentines Park has been voted in the UK’s Top Ten favourite parks. Our parks and green spaces are so valuable to local people and at Vision we have a fantastic team of staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly, especially over the last year, to ensure that the park is open, well maintained and safe for park users.”
Cllr Jas Athwal, Leader of Redbridge Council said:
“Redbridge is one of the greenest boroughs in London and our parks have been a haven for local people getting out to exercise and enjoy the fresh air throughout the pandemic. We take a huge amount of pride in our open spaces, and it’s an honour that Valentines Park has been recognised as one of the UK’s top-ten parks.”
Since the start of the pandemic, parks have played an important role for communities the length and breadth of the UK. Research conducted by Keep Britain Tidy earlier in the year showed that more than nine in ten people (93%) think that parks and green spaces are important to their local community.
Now, those communities have spoken with the vote for the 2021 People’s Choice Awards, run as part of the Green Flag Award scheme, the international quality standard for parks and green spaces, which is celebrating its Silver Jubilee this year.
Cllr Kam Rai, Deputy Leader of Redbridge Council and Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Finance said:
“Our green spaces are so important for local people as a place to get fit or socialise, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdowns. Not only are Redbridge’s parks excellent for people’s wellbeing, but they’re also home to local wildlife and help keep our air clean. That’s why we’re committed to investing in our open spaces and other leisure facilities, so that local people can enjoy them now and for years to come. I’m really proud to see that Valentines Park has been voted one of the UK’s top-ten parks.”
During October, the public were invited to vote for their favourite park and more than 32,000 did just that and Valentines Park was voted as one of the nation’s favourites.
For a full list of winners please visit the Green Flag website.
For more information on our Green Flag parks visit our Green Flag Award webpage.
