Celebrations as Welwyn Hatfield retains prestigious Green Flag Awards
Celebrations have been held after Welwyn Hatfield successfully retained three prestigious Green Flag Awards – the international quality mark for parks and open spaces.
Oak Hill Lawn Cemetery and Crematorium, King George V Playing Fields and Stanborough Park will continue to fly the Green Flag, which is awarded annually by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.
The award scheme recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces, providing the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces in the UK and around the world.
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council owns all three sites and manages Oak Hill Lawn Cemetery and Crematorium. King George V Playing Fields and Stanborough Park are managed by GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited) under contract.
Councillor Sandreni Bonfante, Executive Member for Environment, said:
“The Green Flag Award is an internationally renowned quality mark, so achieving this for three of our open spaces is fantastic news for our borough.
“These awards are testament to the hard work carried out by our maintenance workers, partner organisations and volunteers, and I would like to thank all of them for their tremendous dedication.
“We know how important green and open spaces are to our residents and will continue to work hard to ensure they are managed to the highest possible standards.”
Jeremy Lake, GLL Partnership Manager, said:
“We are absolutely delighted that Stanborough and King George V Playing Fields have retained two Green Flag Awards. As a charitable social enterprise, GLL is committed to providing its local communities with excellent green spaces that enhance health and wellbeing for everyone.”
For the first time, Welwyn Hatfield hosted the Hertfordshire Green Flag presentation on Friday 18 July. The ceremony, at Campus West in Welwyn Garden City, was attended by fellow councillors, parks and open spaces managers, maintenance contractors, and friends groups.
Following a welcoming address by The Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield, Councillor Lynn Chesterman OBE, there were speeches by special guest speakers Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Scheme Manager at Keep Britain Tidy; Emily Nicholls, General Manager at Stanborough Park; Keith Lucas, from Sherrardspark Wood Wardens; and Justin Honey-Jones, from local charity Hearts for Herts.
Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said:
“Congratulations to everyone involved in Oak Hill Lawn Cemetery and Crematorium, King George V Playing Fields and Stanborough Park who have worked tirelessly to ensure that they achieve the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.
“Quality parks and green spaces like these make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.
“Crucially, they are vital green spaces for communities in Welwyn Hatfield to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis they are free and safe spaces for families to socialise. They also provide important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”
Welwyn Hatfield is renowned for its green spaces and biodiversity, and the council has also entered four categories for the 2025 Anglia in Bloom competition: Best Local Authority Floral Display (The Campus, Parkway and Howardsgate), Best Industrial/Commercial Area (Howardsgate and Borders), Best Sustainable Garden (Anniversary Garden) and Best Community Project (The Fernery). Judges visited the city on 15 July and will evaluate the entries based on criteria such as plant choice, maintenance, environmental responsibility and community participation.