Photocall for Green Flag Raising Ceremony, August 2015

Photocall for Green Flag Raising Ceremony, August 2015

Graham Wilkinson, who sits on the Town Council’s Parks Committee, will be raising the 2015-2016 Parks for People Green Flag during Silloth’s popular Carnival Day. The flag, which is the mark of a quality park or Green space, will be raised after a short ceremony at 11.00am on Monday 31st August in the Community Garden on the corner of Criffel Street and Lawn Terrace.

Silloth Green has achieved this award for the third year in a row. The press are cordially invited to take photos and report on the ceremony.

Background information: Previous Press Release (dated July 23, 2015)

More parks and green spaces than ever will be flying the Green Flag Award this year – more than 1,582 across the UK.

Silloth Green in Silloth-on-Solway, Cumbria is one of the very best in the UK – and that’s official.

The Green is among a record-breaking 1,582 parks and green spaces that will today receive a prestigious Green Flag Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.

The award recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces across the country. A Green Flag flying overhead is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent facilities.

Councillor Bill Jefferson, Chair of Silloth-on-Solway Town Council’s Parks Committee, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Award for the third time from Keep Britain Tidy.”

Three separate park areas, namely: ‘The Green,’ ‘Harbour Green’ and ‘Skinburness Green,’ are collectively known as ‘Silloth Green,’ one of the largest village greens in the North of England. The green space boasts spectacular views over the Solway Firth to Criffel and the Caerlaverock Hills in the North and the Lake District to the South. It forms a green link between Silloth’s grand regency townscape and the sea front promenade, for many years attracting visitors seeking fresh sea air and recreational facilities.

Successful funding bids in 2010 resulted in a two-year programme to refurbish the Green and restore its heritage buildings. Heritage Lottery Fund put forward £1.1m and the Rural Development Programme for England provided funds of £100k. The Edwardian ladies toilets, built in 1910 and the spectacular Victorian pagoda built on a mound overlooking the sea have been sympathetically refurbished.

Officially re-opened in 2012, the Green now boasts a modern waterplay area, an entertainment area in local Cumbrian sandstone, a woodland adventure play area, a Putting Green and newly revamped BMX track. Interpretation panels and signage provide information and beautiful oak picnic tables and benches are to be found in various locations, all accessible by new shrub lined paths that allow disabled access to all main areas.

The Green’s Community Garden, funded by Heritage Lottery and designed with input from local people, was opened in May 2014. ‘Friends of the Green’ care for the ‘Community Garden,’ which is situated on the corner of Criffel Street and Lawn Terrace. During 2015, the new Rose Garden, which is situated closer to the sea, benefitted from new drainage and has been replanted with a variety of roses and a number of bee loving plants. A bee hotel has been erected in the middle of the striking display of rose bushes, plants and shrubs, creating a haven for the local bee and butterfly population.

Regular events, organised by volunteers, are held on the Green annually, including Silloth Green Day, the Steam and Vintage Rally, Silloth Beach Half Marathon and 10K, The Summer Carnival, Theatre on the Green, and the Silloth Music and Beer Festival. General information and more details about events can be found on the Silloth Green website at www.sillothgreen.co.uk

Tony Markley, Mayor of Silloth, said: “This Award recognises Silloth Green as a well-managed, high quality green space, which could not have been achieved without the dedicated work of our Town Council staff, grounds maintenance team, and community volunteers.”

This Award recognises and highlights that people in Silloth and visitors to the town are benefitting from a green space of the very highest quality.

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme. All the flags flying this year are a testament to the efforts of the thousands of men and women, both staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”

The announcement of this year’s Award winners comes in the same week that thousands of people up and down the country are enjoying Love Parks Week (July 24 to August 2), an annual celebration of our country’s fantastic green spaces and the community groups that bring them to life.

Ends

Notes to Editors

A full list of Green Flag Award and Green Flag Community Award winners is available here http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/greenflagawards2015/2334

 

The Green Flag Awards Scheme (http://greenflagaward.org/) is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under licence from the Department of Communities and Local Government, in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens and the National Housing Federation.

 

Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity. We inspire people to be litter-free, to waste less and to live more. We are run programmes including Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/ Seaside Awards for beaches. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy, our programmes and campaigns visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.

Any green space that is accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award. Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag status. A Green Flag Community Award recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups. Green Heritage Site accreditation is judged on the treatment of the site’s historic features and the standard of conservation.

Press enquiries

Anna Malina. Email: anna.malina@silloth-on-solway.co.uk

Contact the Keep Britain Tidy press office:

Sarah French 01942 612 659 sarah.french@keepbritaintidy.org

Helen Bingham 01942 612617 helen.bingham@keepbritaintidy.org

Keep Britain Tidy Mobile (24 hours, 7 days a week): 07768 880016

 

Keep Britain Tidy has ISDN radio facilities for interviews

ISDN: 01942 322178

Please contact the press office in advance to make arrangements