Six of Derby’s parks have received a 2023 Green Flag Award in recognition of their high standard. The accreditation is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

Receiving the award is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that cares for Derby’s green spaces to ensure everyone can enjoy them.

The parks that have retained their Green Flag Award status are:

The scheme also includes the Green Flag Community Award, which recognises excellence at sites managed by community groups and volunteers. In Derby, eight sites have received the award.

These are:

  • Ashbourne Road Allotments
  • Chaddesden Wood Local Nature Reserve
  • Chellaston Brickworks Local Nature Reserve
  • Darley and Nutwood Local Nature Reserve
  • Little Chester Allotments
  • Hydrangea Derby
  • Markeaton Walled Garden
  • Sinfin Moor Park Local Nature Reserve

For the third time, Derby Arboretum has been awarded Green Heritage Site Accreditation, supported by Historic England, for the management of its historic features.

Councillor Hardyal Dhindsa, Derby City Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Streetpride, said:

It’s wonderful news that so many of Derby’s parks and green spaces have again been recognised with Green Flag Awards. We are so fortunate that the city has so many beautiful open spaces that people can enjoy all year round.

This recognition is testament to the hard work and dedication shown by the Council’s teams - as well as the community groups and volunteers - who look after our parks and make them spaces we can all be proud of.

Parks are a vitally important part of the UK’s green infrastructure, providing opportunities to improve physical and mental health even in the most built-up urban environments. It is estimated that active visits to parks in England result in £2billion of avoided costs of ill-health every year.

Dawn Wilson, chairperson of The Friends of Markeaton Park, said:

We are pleased and honoured to have received the Green Flag Award again this year. The Walled Garden is improving all the time, due to the hard work put in by our band of volunteers, who keep it looking good and make it a beautiful and peaceful place to visit.

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 UK and around the world.

Green Flags will be unveiled at Alvaston Park Community Fun Day on Sunday 23 July and the Superhero Picnics at Chaddesden Park on Wednesday 26 July and Darley Park on Thursday 27 July.

Paul Todd MBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, said:

I would like to congratulate everyone involved at Derby’s parks in achieving the Green Flag Awards. The parks are vital green spaces for the community in Derby, bringing people together and providing opportunities to lead healthy lifestyles.

The staff and volunteers do so much to ensure that it maintains the high standards of the Green Flag Award and everyone involved should feel extremely proud of their achievement.

A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available on the Green Flag Award website.