Green Flag award for Wallingford Castle Meadows
Wallingford Castle Meadows, managed by the Northmoor Trust on behalf of South Oxfordshire District Council, has received a prestigious national accolade - the district’s first Green Flag Award.
The award recognises the best green spaces in the country, and is one of 74 Green Flags given out in the South East this year.
Any green space that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award. The Civic Trust make these awards on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag status.
The attractive historic site of Wallingford Castle Meadows covers some 16.6 hectares on the banks of the River Thames in Wallingford. Lorretta Waters, Northmoor Trust's Neighbourhood Wildlife Warden, looks after the site and has been working hard over the last year to develop the site's facilities and improve the experience for visitors.
Bill Service, Cabinet member with responsibility for leisure, said:
“Protecting and enhancing the local environment is one of the council’s priorities, and we have all worked hard over the last few years in bringing the site up to the standard expected by the Green Flag judges. This award is a testament to all the hard work by staff and, importantly, to the huge effort put in by local volunteers who care passionately about the site. We would not have achieved the award without the many local volunteers who help us out week after week, come rain or shine.
“Alongside other works, we recently completed a project to provide a new entrance gate and restore an important historic linkage between the two major parts of the castle site. As the award is judged annually we will have to make sure we keep up the standard and continue to improve the facilities for everyone to enjoy.”
Read about Lorretta's preparations for the Green Flag assessment in our Warden's Diary >>
