Seven Green Flag Awards to kick off Love Parks Week 2022

July 28, 2022

A week of family-themed events will be taking over the City’s parks as part of a national campaign to showcase the best parks and open spaces across the UK, with seven of the City’s parks and open spaces being recognised with global awards.

Love Parks Week 2022 will be taking place in a park near you from Friday 29 July until Friday 5 August with the council and partners hosting a variety of fantastic, fun, free events for the whole family to enjoy. From guided butterfly walks to community litter picks and painting, Keep Britain Tidy’s Love Parks Week is your opportunity to support your local community and your local park.

Southend-on-Sea has once again been awarded seven prestigious Green Flag Awards for its parks and open spaces at Belfairs, Chalkwell, Southchurch, Shoebury, Southchurch Hall Gardens, Leigh Library Gardens and, for the first time, Sutton Road Cemetery & Southend Crematorium. This coincides with Love Parks Week and the council is keen for local people to take part in events to showcase the fantastic parks and open space on offer in the City.

Cllr Carole Mulroney, cabinet member for environment, culture and tourism, said: “What a fantastic week this is for our parks and open spaces. To be awarded seven Green Flag Awards is testament to the high standards our parks officers have, and also to the community groups who give up their own time to help keep our green spaces clean and tidy, alongside the parks teams.

“But our ambition doesn’t stop there because next year we will be aiming to secure even more Green Flag Awards for the likes of Gunners Park with Essex Wildlife Trust, Shoebury Common North and Prittlewell Square Gardens. I also want to see the Green Flag Award return to Priory Park having narrowly missed out this year.

“The fact the awards coincide with Love Parks Week makes it even more special, and there really are some fantastic events that people can take part in. We are incredibly lucky to have such amazing green spaces in our City and I know our residents and visitors enjoy them very much, so I hope to see these events well attended.

You can find out more about Love Parks Week by visiting: https://www.southend.gov.uk/loveparksweek.