Park flies flag as Erewash scoops four green ‘Oscars’

A high-flying award: Cllr Mark Alfrey, far left, stands beside council leader James Dawson as Green Flag is triumphantly hoisted over Ilkeston’s Victoria Park

Flags saluting how Erewash boasts one of the UK’s most outstanding green spaces were triumphantly hoisted in a much-loved park – after it was honoured with two coveted “Oscars” in government-backed awards that saw a total of FOUR clinched across the borough.

The double win for Ilkeston’s Victoria Park included a gong for the care that goes into making it a pleasure to visit – and is called a Green Flag Award.

At the same time it scooped a Green Heritage Site Accreditation for how its historic features have been managed and promoted. Just 12 of these national awards were handed out across the East Midlands – and the accolade puts the treasured urban haven in the same league as Newark Castle Gardens, Wollaton Park and Nottingham’s Victoria Embankment.

Cllr Mark Alfrey – who is Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Environment – paid tribute to the dedication of the authority’s Green Space team at a ceremony to hoist the Green Flag.

He also praised all the volunteers across Erewash who give up their free time to help keep the borough’s 260 hectares of parks, open spaces and nature reserves in tip top shape.

Cllr Alfrey told crew members who proudly joined him and council leader James Dawson at the flag-raising: “Thank you for all the work you do. People often don’t realise how good our parks are. These are nationally renowned awards – they don’t just give them away like sweets.”

The annual accolades are run by an environmental charity on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. They recognise and reward well-managed parks and beauty spots for being beacons to others across the UK and around the world.

As well as the two awards for Victoria Park a third went to volunteers who maintain the Long Eaton Community Garden – which recently won a £1,180 council Fast Funding community grant to improve access to its wildlife pond.

Members of the garden’s “friends” group were jubilant as their hard work at the thriving miniature Eden in Norfolk Road was marked with what is called a Green Flag Community Award.

The fourth local award was a Green Flag for the Erewash Canal – in tribute to the tireless efforts of the Canal & River Trust.

The honours are handed out by the charity Keep Britain Tidy, whose award manager Paul Todd MBE described the double victory for Victoria Park as a testament to it being “properly supported and managed” by Erewash Borough Council. He declared: “We want every community to have access to green spaces like this that are safe, welcoming and maintained to a high standard. Congratulations to everyone involved.”

The council has been keen to get even more people using the park – and recently completed installing 26 heritage-style lights to make it more welcoming after dusk. The nearby Rutland Sports Park has been freshly illuminated too – thanks to a total of £166,000 in government funding for the two projects.

The charity that issues the accolades also runs Blue Flag Awards for beaches. To find out more visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.