Manchester maintains pole position with Green Flag awards

Manchester has been named as the lead authority in the country for the third year in a row, as 27 of its green spaces were placed in the list of best parks in England and Wales.

Manchester City Council will collect the Green Flag Awards at a special event in Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre tomorrow, Thursday July 24, following an announcement by Baroness Andrews OBE.

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by the Civic Trust, is the national standard for parks and green spaces. Manchester has maintained its top position by continuing to build on its success, after securing a further six awards this year.

Winners vary from Victorian parks and town centre gardens to nature reserves, country parks and cemeteries.

Sites must meet the criteria of being welcoming, safe and well maintained, with a strong involvement from the local community.

The winners are:

• Debdale Park in Gorton South
• Crowcroft Park in Longsight
• St. Michaels Flags in Ancoats and Clayton
• Openshaw Park in Bradford
• Philips Park in Ancoats And Clayton
• Cringle Fields in Levenshulme
• Parsonage Gardens in the city centre
• St John's Gardens in the city centre
• Sackville Gardens in the city centre
• Chorlton Water Park in Chorlton Park
• Heaton Park in Higher Blackley
• Didsbury Park in Didsbury
• Fletcher Moss Gardens in Didsbury
• Wythenshawe Park in Brooklands
• Baguley Park in Baguley
• Culmere Park in Woodhouse Park
• Painswick Park in Woodhouse Park
• Ardwick Green in Ardwick
• Swinton Park in Ardwick
• Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield
• Manley Park in Whalley Range
• Chorlton Park in Chorlton Park
• Old Moat Park in Old Moat
• Ladybarn Park in Withington
• Boggart Hole Clough in Charlestown
• Gaskell Street Park in Newton Heath
• Crumpsall Park in Crumpsall

Councillor Mike Amesbury, Manchester City Council's Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, said: "This is a great acknowledgement to the council staff and the community groups who maintain and improve our parks.

"It is also a credit to the city's many friends of parks groups, who make a vital contribution. We have many diverse open spaces from pockets of greenery in the city centre to the vast landscape of Heaton Park. The parks in our city are indeed something to celebrate and the awards are testimony to this."

Heaton Park was also named as a Green Heritage site winner for the second time, following its multi-million pound restoration. To find out more about the city's parks visit www.manchester.gov.uk/leisure

Media enquiries:

Conrad Astley, Press Office on 0161 234 4027.