Breadcrumbs
Putting the Spotlight on Country Parks - 22 November 2005
The network was launched to encourage a ‘renaissance’ of country parks and provides country parks managers and practitioners with help, advice, guidance and case studies relating to the improvement of the quality of country parks.
Civic Trust Managing Director, Peter Bembridge said: “We are delighted to be given the opportunity to administer such an important resource for country parks on behalf of the Countryside Agency. With more than 500 Green Flag Award judges, we have the ideal network in place to help this initiative to evolve, boosting still further the value of our nation’s country parks.”
Lucy Heath, Programme Manager for Recreation Facilities at the Countryside Agency said: “England’s 270 Country Parks offer people the opportunity to get away from the strains of modern life and play, exercise or just relax in green and leafy surroundings. Almost 70% of Country Parks are close to urban areas, which means that everyone can enjoy nature and the great outdoors. I am looking forward to working with the Civic Trust to raise the profile of these special green spaces.”
The Trust intends to build on this success while looking to align much of this work within the Green Flag Award philosophy. A number of country parks managers will be offered training as Green Flag Award judges, allowing them access to an already growing network of green space industry professionals, which boasts more than 450 judges. This will be particularly useful with the anticipated growth of Country Parks as Green Flag Award applicants – the scheme currently receives 66 applications from this large growth area of the scheme.
The contract will run for two years until October 2007.
Notes to editors
Contacts:
Press officer: Sarah Egerton on 07811 726534 Monday to Wednesday email: segerton@civicrust.org.uk
Marketing manager: Caroline Williams on 0151 231 6903 email: cwilliams@civictrust.org.uk
The Green Flag Award scheme is managed by the Civic Trust on behalf of the Green Flag Advisory Board. Any green space in England and Wales that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award. The scheme is sponsored by The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, English Heritage, The Countryside Agency, English Nature and in Wales by the Countryside Council for Wales.
The Countryside Agency brings together all the different countryside dimensions – economic, environmental, community and enjoyment – into a single national body to achieve sustainable development in the countryside. For further information, visit www.countryside.gov.uk
The Civic Trust is an independent, national charity, founded in 1957. It works with people to promote thriving towns and villages, developing partnerships between communities, government and business to deliver regeneration and local improvement. It is the umbrella body for 850 civic societies across the country, representing over 250,000 individuals committed to improving and caring for places where people live and work. www.civictrust.org.uk
