TWO green spaces in Wellington have secured the prestigious Green Flag Award.

On Tuesday, July 15, Wellington Town Council and Friends of Swains Nature Reserve celebrated having received a Green Flag Award for Swains Nature Reserve and Wellington Park.

The sites are two of 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award, which is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

A spokesperson for the council said: “The news that Swains Nature Reserve and Wellington Park have met the standards required for the accreditation is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that care for the green spaces so that visitors and residents alike can enjoy them.”

Wellington Park has also achieved the Green Heritage Site Accreditation, supported by Historic England, for the management and promotion of its historic features.

Green Flag Award scheme manager, Paul Todd MBE, said: “Congratulations to everyone involved in Wellington Park who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it achieves the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.

“Quality parks and green spaces like Wellington Park make the country a healthier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.

“Crucially, Wellington Park is a vital green space for communities in Wellington to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”

The Green Flag Award Scheme, run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups.

Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag Award status.