VICTORIA Park has won its eighth consecutive Green Flag Award.

The prestigious award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces, given to 2208 UK winners this year.

After two years that have seen our parks and green spaces play a vital role for people through lockdowns as a place to relax, exercise and meet friends and family safely, the news that Victoria Park has achieved the Green Flag Award is testament to the hard work and dedication of the council officers and volunteers like those in the Friends of Victoria Park that make the green space a great place that everyone can enjoy.

Councillor Andy Bowden, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “The importance of our green spaces has never been clearer than in the last two years, granting us time in nature and away from urban life, and places in which to relax and exercise to improve our wellbeing.

“While today it is Victoria Park that is celebrating, this achievement is as much for all our parks across the borough, receiving the same level of care and attention for residents to enjoy.” Commenting on the news that Victoria Park has met the Green Flag Award standard, Keep Britain Tidy’s Accreditation Manager Paul Todd said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making Victoria Park worthy of a Green Flag Award.

“Victoria Park is a vital green space for the community in St Helens Borough. This award is testament to all the hard work of staff and volunteers, who do so much to ensure that it maintains the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.” The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world. A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available here.