Welwyn Hatfield celebrates retaining three prestigious Green Flag Awards

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 to recognise and reward well-managed parks and green spaces.

It comes as the internationally recognised standard for parks and green spaces celebrates its 30th year.

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council owns all three sites and manages Oak Hill Lawn Cemetery and Crematorium. A new, state-of-the-art crematorium, chapel and landscaped gardens opened in 2023 at Oak Hill, and has since achieved a Gold Award at the National Cemetery of the Year Awards 2025/26, and Gold Standard status for both its cemetery and crematorium services awarded by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management. King George V Playing Fields and Stanborough Park are managed by GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited) on behalf of the Council. The three sites are among a record-breaking 2,391 in the UK to achieve the Green Flag award this year.

Concillor Max Holloway, Executive Member for Community and Leisure, said:

“I am extremely proud that these fantastic green spaces have retained their Green Flag Awards – the internationally recognised gold standard for well-managed, clean and safe outdoor areas.

“Green spaces are a hugely important part of our heritage, loved by residents and visitors alike. We will continue to maintain them to the highest possible standards and work to make them safe, inclusive and accessible.

“I would like to thank officers, GLL, our contractors, partner organisations and volunteers, whose hard work, passion and dedication in caring for our green spaces have made these awards possible.”

Jeremy Lake, GLL Partnership Manager, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that both Stanborough and King George V Playing Fields have retained their Green Flag status for over ten years. As a charitable social enterprise, GLL is committed to providing its local communities with excellent green spaces that enhance health and wellbeing for everyone.”

Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, said:

“Parks are essential public spaces that support our wellbeing, our communities and our economy. Yet for millions of people, particularly in the most deprived areas, local parks simply don’t feel safe or welcoming.

“With public services under pressure, investing in parks is not a luxury, it’s a practical, preventative solution and one of the most visible ways to improve people’s quality of life.

“Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council and GLL have shown what can be achieved when parks are properly supported and managed. As we celebrate 30 years of the Green Flag Award, we want every community to have access to green spaces like these that are safe, welcoming and maintained to a high standard.

“Congratulations to everyone involved.”

Welwyn Hatfield is renowned for its green spaces and biodiversity, and the Council has also entered five categories for the 2026 Anglia in Bloom competition: Best Industrial or Commercial Area: White Lion Square and Market Place, Best Sustainable Planting: Market Place, Best Project 12 to 18-year-olds: Potential to Grow Community Garden, Crematorium: Oak Hill Crematorium and Cemetery, and Public Park of Any Size: Howardsgate and Parkway.

Judges visited Hatfield on 8 July and will evaluate the entries based on criteria such as plant choice, maintenance, environmental responsibility and community participation.