Flying the flag for our award-winning green spaces

Waterloo Park, Eaton Park and Mousehold Heath were among the 2,127 places in the UK to receive this prestigious accolade which were announced on Thursday 14 October 2021.

This is the first year that Waterloo Park has won the award following improvements to the ornamental pond, pavilion and car park. It now benefits from a robust 10-year management plan outlining key improvements projects.

Mousehold Health retains its award for the second year running and this is Eaton Park’s sixth win, having first gained the award in 2014.

The honour of flying a Green Flag recognises the park as a space that boasts the highest possible standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent facilities.

Councillor Matthew Packer, cabinet member responsible for parks and open spaces, said:

“I’m delighted that two of our wonderful city parks and the magnificent Mousehold Health have won these Green Flag Awards.

“This year we have all truly appreciated the importance of public parks and green spaces within our communities. They have supported us all in maintaining a significant quality of life during restrictions, uncertainty, and upset caused by the pandemic.

“It’s thanks to the hard work and dedication of the city council and Norwich Fringe Project, as well as the Friends of Eaton Park and Waterloo Park and Mousehold Heath Conservators, and the continued commitment from the council to support and enhance our parks and open spaces, that we can proudly fly these flags and show everyone these spaces are among the highest quality in the UK.”

The Green Flag Awards are now in their 25th year and are run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.

Commenting on the news that the three sites has achieved the Green Flag Award standard, Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd said:

“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making Waterloo and Eaton Park, as well as Mousehold Heath, worthy of a Green Flag Award.”

“To meet the requirements demanded by the scheme is testament to the hard work of the staff and volunteers who do so much to ensure they have high standards of horticulture, safety and environmental management and is a place that supports people to live healthy lives.”

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.