Priory Country Park wins Green Flag Award for 20th year in a row

The Green Flag Award is celebrating its Silver Jubilee, marking 25 years of excellence. This week the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, has revealed the names of over 2,000 parks and green spaces across the UK that have collected a coveted Green Flag Award for 2021.

Bedford Park, Addison Howard Park, Harrold-Odell Country Park, and Priory Country Park have once again been awarded the Green Flag.

The award is the international quality mark for parks and green space, and not only is this the 20th year in a row that Priory Country Park has won the Green Flag award, but 2021 also marks 35 years since the park was officially opened by Valerie Singleton in 1986.

The Friends of Hill Rise and The Friends of Putnoe Wood and Mowsbury Hillfort, both volunteer groups, have seen success again with Hill Rise Local Natural Reserve and Mowsbury Hillfort winning the Green Flag Community Award, and this year The Friends of Putnoe Wood and Mowsbury Hillfort have also been awarded another new Green Flag Community Award site, Putnoe Wood.

Over the last 18 months, parks have become lockdown lifelines, playing a vital role for people across the country as places to breathe, relax, exercise and meet friends and family safely.

In celebration of this year's announcement Bedford Town Bridge was lit up green last night.

Mayor Dave Hodgson said "Bedford Borough parks have once again shone by being awarded Green Flag Awards, with Priory Country Park celebrating 20 years of flying the flag. This is an amazing achievement and really reflects the hard work of the officers and volunteers at this stunning Country Park. For it to be joined by our three other Green Flags, and the three Community Green Flag Award winners too is superb, and my thanks and congratulations go to everyone involved."

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.

If you would be interested in volunteering in one of the Council's parks and green spaces, please visit https://www.bedford.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/parks-and-open-spaces/community-volunteering/ or sign up to the Community Volunteering email bulletin.