Park Life - Green Flag Parks
Put a Bounce in Your Step and take to a Green Flag Award Park Take to the great outdoors and log onto www.greenflagaward.org.uk - the website devoted to the nation’s best green spaces and look out for a big Green Flag flying at a park near you
The Green Flag Award scheme’s What’s-On guide showcases events and activities at some of the 322 Green Flag Award parks and green spaces across England and Wales.
These quality sites, all freely accessible to the public, offer a wealth of healthy activities and entertainment for everyone throughout the year, from green gyms, to star gazing to bird box making. All these events and more are planned for the spring - and there is no easier way to find your nearest award-winning park than with our dedicated website.
The Green Flag is an annual award scheme and is recognised as the national standard for high quality green spaces. More parks and green spaces than ever before have now won a Green Flag Award - 322 sites are now flying the flag after being recognised for their standards of park management and contribution to the quality of local life. There are also 42 Green Pennant Awards for smaller, community managed sites.
All parks and green spaces are assessed annually by our huge network of volunteer judges – all green space professionals – who compare the site against eight key criteria to ascertain if the site is:
• A Welcoming Place
• Healthy, Safe and Secure
• Clean and Well Maintained
• Following sustainable practices
• Supporting its conservation
and heritage
• Involving the community
• Marketing itself effectively
• Has a site specific
management planThe scheme is part of the Government's public service agreement target (PSA8) to lead the delivery of cleaner, safer, greener communities and a vital component of what the Civic Trust, with its diversity of programmes, is all about. Our network of 500 Green Flag Award judges and 250,000 Civic Society members, ensures continual progression towards the creation of cleaner, safer, greener communities for all.
Paul Todd, Green Flag Award Applications Manager, commented:
"Shake off those winter blues by getting energetic at one of our award winning parks and green spaces. These quality green spaces are particularly stunning on a sunny day so get out and use them and feel happier and healthier for it.
"Our What’s On Guide means people can find up-to-the-minute information about a wide variety of events at these top quality green spaces which are freely accessible to all. There is something for everyone, so visit www.greenflagaward.org.uk and see for yourself."
PARK PREPARATION TIPS
1. Take plenty of high factor sunscreen for yourself and your little ones. It is best to apply the cream before you leave the house and then top up in intervals during the day. It will avoid grumpy, sunburnt tantrums on the way home and it is important to protect the skin from harmful UV rays.
2. Make sure you and your children wear comfortable footwear. There is nothing worse than blisters and sore toes on a long day out. Also pack sunglasses and hats to protect delicate heads and eyes from the glaring summer sun.
3.Pack a picnic. It will save you a fortune and you can ensure that you are catering for your children’s needs. See Nora’s recipes (page 36) for ideas. Take plenty of soft drinks and water to avoid dehydration.
4. Pack wet wipes or a hand wash so that the kids can clean their hands easily without having to visit the bathroom. Flying Start recommends: Matron Bio Hand Wash Gel developed by Leslie Ash. It is a rapid skin disinfectant and you do not require water to rinse, £3.99, available from Superdrug.
5.Take a spare set of clothes for each of your children. It is inevitable that they will get dirty or wet, or both! Packing spare clothes including underwear will ensure that they are happy, clean and snug on the return journey home.
6.Let each child pack a small backpack with things that they want to take to the park. Let them know that they will have to carry their own backpacks so not to pack too heavy. This way they feel involved in the preparations and they will have toys to keep them occupied on the journey and at lunchtime.
7. Take a small first aid kit with antiseptic wipes and plasters to deal with any minor falls or scrapes. Stings and bites can spoil summer fun in the park. To avoid tear stained faces and hours of moaning, be sure to take along some form of sting soother. We love Jungle Formula Bite and Sting Relief, £4.99 for a box of ten individually sealed patches, www.jungleformula.co.uk. Dr Greenfingers Sting Soother Wipes are also great, £3.95 for 12 individually sealed wipes, www.drgreenfingers.co.uk
8. Don’t forget to take something to sit on! Either to lie your picnic on or so you can sit and relax while the children play. They can also snuggle up in it in the back of the car and fall asleep on the way home. This Francesca Flamingo blanket
is gorgeous, £34.95, www.eazy-tiger.co.uk
