Green Flag awards are grounds for celebration

Pages Park, Parson's Close Recreation Ground and Vandyke Road Cemetery in Leighton Buzzard are some of the very best in the UK '“ and that's official.
Town clerk Mark Saccoccio, Cllr Stephen Jones, and Cllr Clive Palmer hold the newly awarded flags alongside some of the grounds team.Town clerk Mark Saccoccio, Cllr Stephen Jones, and Cllr Clive Palmer hold the newly awarded flags alongside some of the grounds team.
Town clerk Mark Saccoccio, Cllr Stephen Jones, and Cllr Clive Palmer hold the newly awarded flags alongside some of the grounds team.

The parks and cemetery are among a record-breaking 1,686 UK parks and green spaces that have receives a prestigious Green Flag Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.

The award, now celebrating its 20th year, recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces across the country. A Green Flag flying overhead is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent facilities.

Ian Haynes, the town council’s head of grounds and environmental services, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive three Green Flag Award from Keep Britain Tidy. This award recognises and highlights that people in Leighton Buzzard are benefitting from a green space of the very highest quality.”

Although not run by the town council, locally Linslade Wood and Tiddenfoot Waterside Park also retained their Green Flag Community Awards.

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme, especially as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the awards.

“All the flags flying this year are a testament to the efforts of the thousands of men and women, both staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”