Oadby & Wigston parks recognised among country’s best after scooping 17th Green Flag Awards

Published: Friday, 2 August 2024

Members of the Friends of Peace Memorial Park with OWBC councillors and Strategic Director. (L-R) Cllr Kevin Loydall, OWBC Strategic Director Teresa Neal, Judith Phillips, Janice Shirley, Cllr Bill Boulter, Sue Lobb

Oadby’s Brocks Hill Country Park and Wigston’s Peace Memorial Park have both achieved the prestigious Green Flag Award for the 17^th consecutive year.

The award is an international quality mark for well-managed parks and green spaces, run by charity Keep Britain Tidy.

Brocks Hill and Peace Memorial Park are owned and run by Oadby & Wigston Borough Council (OWBC) and are a hub for local groups and volunteers, with both parks being praised for their ‘excellent community involvement’ in the judge’s reports.

Peace Memorial Park was also celebrated for its ‘excellent understanding of the history and heritage of the park’, while Brocks Hill was lauded for its ‘very good procedures’ for environmental management.

Brocks Hill: Brocks Hill volunteers with OWBC councillors and officers holding the Green Flag. (L-R) Barry Edwards, Luke Kitchener, John Grew, Park Ranger Eleanor Pratt, Dave Wayman, Dave Tebbut, Lolly Tunnicliffe, OWBC CEO Anne Court, Pat Tebbut, Cllr Bill Boulter, Leader of OWBC Cllr Samia Haq, Julia Cave

The Green Flag Award is judged against 27 criteria, which includes demonstrating that parks are a welcoming place, are well-maintained, and manage and conserve the natural landscape appropriately.

Oadby & Wigston Borough Councillor Bill Boulter said: “Retaining the Green Flag Award for 17 years is a remarkable achievement, and truly a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team.

“I would also like to thank the Friends of Peace Memorial Park and the Brocks Hill volunteers for giving their time each week to help improve and maintain these spaces – both were mentioned in the judge’s reports as playing important roles in the parks’ successes.

“Both Brocks Hill and Peace Memorial Park are an extremely valuable resource providing not only environmental benefits, but also playing a key role in the mental and physical wellbeing of our residents, and I am proud that our community has two such high-quality spaces available to them.”