93 parks and green spaces including in Doncaster celebrate as 2024 Green Flag Award winners revealed

Parks across East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire are proudly preparing to raise their flags.

The Green Flag Award, the international quality mark for parks and green spaces, was launched 28 years ago and has seen successful submissions from local authorities and other land managers across the country for a range of sites, from world-famous city parks to small, local green spaces.

This year’s winners include parks and green spaces as diverse as: Bentley Park, Campsall Country Park, Cusworth Park, Elmfield Park,

Hexthorpe Park, Quarry Park, Sandall Park and Town Field

Parks are a vitally important part of this country’s green infrastructure, providing opportunities to improve physical and mental health even in the most built-up urban environments. However, research by Leeds University has shown that women are currently less likely than us our parks and green spaces due to a range of factors including safety fears.

That’s why it’s important that parks are managed to the Green Flag Award standard, which rewards those sites that meet the needs of the community, are well maintained, safe and provide people with the opportunity to lead healthy lifestyles.

Congratulating this year’s winners, Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “Prioritising parks and green spaces is vital for our future, so we are delighted to see that 93 sites in Yorkshire and the Humber have met the standards required for a Green Flag Award, reflecting the tireless work of those tasked with looking after these important regional assets.

“We know beyond doubt that our local environment contributes to the wellbeing of individuals and communities, with our parks and green spaces recognised as areas where people can come together and be active. Research shows that time spent in green spaces can positively affect mental and physical health, quality of life and a sense of wellbeing.

“We believe the standards expected in the Green Flag Award should be a minimum for every park, and it is our ambition that by 2030 we increase the number of sites achieving Green Flag Award status even further so that people across England, wherever they live, can access and enjoy safe, high-quality green space.”

Erika Diaz Petersen, Historic England’s Principal National Landscape Adviser, said: “Historic parks, gardens, canals and other green heritage sites are at the heart of the network of public open spaces that are critical to our health and wellbeing, nature and the environment.

"The Green Flag Awards recognise the fantastic effort made and high standards achieved by parks professionals, community groups, volunteers and others across the country who look after these important places.

“At Historic England we are very pleased to support Green Heritage Site Accreditation in England, celebrating the achievements of Green Flag Award winners who care for, share and celebrate the heritage of their sites.”

The Green Flag Award scheme is managed by Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, setting the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces.

A full list of award-winners is available here.