Four Cumbrian outdoor spaces and two community parks have been awarded prestigious accolades for being among the best in the world.
Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Awards recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the UK and around the world.
And one Cumbrian park is celebrating its ninth Green Flag in a row.
Ford Park in Ulverston was handed a Green Flag Community Award.
The park, run by charity the Ford Park Community Group, includes nature trails, children’s playground, Victorian walled garden, native species arboretum, community orchard, heritage orchard and plant nursery. The park is wholly funded through grants, fundraising and donations.
Park director, Sam Ronson said: “This award recognises all the hard work and commitment of our staff and volunteers. They are here in all weathers, ensuring Ford Park is maintained to an award-winning standard and is a beautiful and safe place for our community to enjoy.”
Also winning a Green Flag Community Award was Beck Bottom Community Gardens in Hensingham, near Whitehaven. The gardens were created by a group of volunteers on a piece of derelict parkland.
The group also aims to tackle social isolation by encouraging volunteers to join in and help take care of the gardens.
Distington Hall, part of the Distington Crematorium grounds, also won a Green Flag, as did Penrith Cemetery, Alston Cemetery and Castle Park in Penrith.
