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Wepre Park and Greenfield Valley named as two of the country’s best green spaces

Published: 14/10/2020

Keep Wales Tidy has unveiled this year’s Green Flag Award winners – the international mark of a quality park or green space.  

The flags will be flying at Greenfield Valley and Wepre Park in recognition of their excellent visitor facilities, high environmental standards, and commitment to delivering great quality green space.

Greenfield Valley and Wepre Park are both rich in history and wildlife. They have become a recreation hubs for local people, supporting wellbeing during this challenging time. They are held in high regard within our local community and to receive this Award for 2020/21 is an honour.

Wepre Park is 160 acres of green space, nestled in the heart of Connah’s Quay. It is a unique setting with its various habitats and geology. Features of the park include: Old Hall Gardens, a fishing pond, brook and waterfall and Ewloe Castle.

Greenfield Valley Heritage Park is situated in Holywell and encompasses 70 acres of industrial history. Historically Greenfield Valley employed hundreds of people in both its copper factories and cotton mills and is now a fabulous open green space. The Valley is home to a number of scheduled ancient monuments and is a haven for wildlife.

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Countryside, Councillor Carolyn Thomas, said: 

"We are honoured to receive the Green Flag award for both Greenfield Valley and Wepre Park. Flintshire’s natural spaces during this difficult year have shone through as highly valued excellent quality resources for local people. I would like to thank all volunteers and staff who work hard to maintain these high standards and allow us to fly the ‘Green Flag’. The diverse range of wildlife and historic features of these parks are of great interest to residents and are a credit to Flintshire. We want local residents to continue to enjoy these local green spaces which are a delight as the seasons change and discover more about our local heritage safely. Once the current situation has improved, we look forward to welcoming back our visitors." 

Gwladys Harrison, Chair of Greenfield valley Trust said: 

"The staff, volunteers and Board of Trustees are very proud of Greenfield Valley. We consider it to be a jewel in the crown of Flintshire and are delighted to have achieved this award which reflects the quality of this natural space. We would like to encourage all local residents to get outdoors and enjoy our local natural spaces safely."

224 parks and green spaces across the country have received the prestigious Green Flag Award and Green Flag Community Award – from country parks and formal gardens, to allotments, woodlands and churchyards.

The Green Flag Award programme is delivered in Wales by environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy, with support from Welsh Government. Independent green space experts volunteered their time in early autumn to judge applicant sites against eight strict criteria, including biodiversity, cleanliness, environmental management, and community involvement.

Lucy Prisk, Green Flag Coordinator at Keep Wales Tidy said:

"The pandemic has shown just how important high-quality parks and green spaces are to our communities. For many of us, they have been a haven on our doorstep, benefitting our health and well-being.

"The 224 flags flying this year are a testament to the hard work of staff and volunteers who have maintained excellent standards under the most challenging circumstances. I’d like to congratulate and thank them all for their outstanding commitment." 

A full list of award winners can be found on the Keep Wales Tidy website www.keepwalestidy.cymru