Itchen Valley and Lakeside Country Park scoop up Green Flag awards

Keep Britain Tidy gives the prestigious awards

Itchen Valley and Lakeside Country Parks have both been awarded Green Flags in the Keep Britain Tidy charity’s national awards scheme.

For Lakeside, it is its fifth Green Flag in a row, whilst it is Itchen Valley Country Park’s sixteenth award.

The award is given to well-managed parks for their work with conservation as well as their overall look, staff/volunteers and accessibility and generally sets the standard for parks across the country as the scheme is a nationally recognised mark of quality.

Congratulations to Hedge End Town Council which also received the prestigious Green Flag Award for the 16th year running. The award was received for the Albert Road Cemetery and the War Memorial Garden. 

A total of 2,250 sites in the UK have achieved the award.

Eastleigh Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Country Parks, Cllr Tonia Craig, said: “The Itchen Valley and Lakeside team can be hugely proud of their repeated success in winning this award, which reflects their hard work and expertise. Once again, we’re very grateful to Keep Britain Tidy for this recognition.”

Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said: “Congratulations to everyone involved in Itchen Valley and Lakeside Country Parks who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it achieves the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.

“Quality parks and green spaces like Itchen Valley and Lakeside Country Parks make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.

“Crucially, Itchen Valley Country Park and Lakeside are vital green spaces for communities in Eastleigh to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”