Yeading Brook Meadows in Hillingdon awarded as one of ‘best of British’ green spaces
Wednesday 22nd July 2015
Skylark - image credit Stefan Johansson
Yeading Brook Meadows, a nature reserve run by London Wildlife Trust and London Borough of Hillingdon, has today been awarded a prestigious Green Flag Award. The awards, which are presented by Keep Britain Tidy, recognise and reward the best parks and green spaces across the country.
The unspoilt meadows are an important haven for local wildlife and are enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year. During the summer, wild flowers bloom across the reserve, attracting many species of butterfly. High above the meadows, skylarks hover and sing.
Wild flowers bloom across the reserve, attracting many species of butterfly. High above the meadows, skylarks hover and sing.
Andy Willmore, the Trust’s Regional Development Manager, said: “This is the second time the meadows have been awarded a Green Flag Award and we’re absolutely delighted that the judges have recognised the continuing importance of the reserve. Urban conservation can be challenging, but we have an excellent group of volunteers and their hard work and the support of London Borough of Hillingdon has ensured the reserve is indeed award-winning!”
Gordon Scorer, chief executive with London Wildlife Trust added: “This Green Flag Award reflects the Trust’s strong commitment to working with local communities and to protecting the many wildlife species that live in London. We already have over 40 nature reserves across London and we are aiming to add more than 150 hectares of new reserves by 2020, providing free access to nature and securing a better home for many of the 13,000 species that live in London.”
Yeading Brook Meadows joins a record-breaking 1,582 parks and green spaces that will receive a prestigious Green Flag Award. 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.”
Yeading Brook Meadows is one of four London Wildlife Trust nature reserves to receive an award this year. The others are Gunnersbury Triangle in Chiswick, Crane Park Island in Twickenham and The Centre for Wildlife Gardening in Peckham.
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.
Yeading Brook Meadows, Greenway, Yeading, Hillingdon, London UB4 9HL. Open at all times. www.wildlondon.org.uk/wildlife/reserves
ENDS
For more media information, interviews or images please contact Ian Tokelove at London Wildlife Trust on 020 7803 4293 or press@wildlondon.org.uk
A full list of Green Flag Award and Green Flag Community Award winners is available here 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. They 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
London Wildlife Trust is the only charity dedicated solely to protecting the capital's wildlife and wild spaces, engaging London's diverse communities through access to our nature reserves, campaigning, volunteering and education.