A Seventh Green Flag For Coychurch Crematorium

Coychurch Crematorium has won a prestigious environmental award for the seventh year in a row. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Keep Wales Tidy have presented the council-run facility with a Green Flag award, which recognises and rewards the best green spaces and parks in Wales and England. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Designed to offer a sensitive, peaceful environment, the crematorium serves a large geographical area that stretches beyond the county borough’s borders. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mourners and visitors frequently comment how comforting they find it, and a 2006 book that looked at 251 crematoriums across Britain described Coychurch as being “…arguably the most exceptional.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Ceri Reeves, Bridgend County Borough Council Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “Coychurch Crematorium was the first place in the county borough to receive this type of Green Flag. The award marks the commitment of its staff towards maintaining a first-rate green space and providing mourners and visitors with a tranquil environment that is sympathetic to the needs of the bereaved. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The staff work really hard to achieve and maintain the crematorium and its grounds. The Green Flag is well deserved, and I would like to congratulate everyone at Coychurch Crematorium on their success.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This Green Flag Award is delivered in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy with support from Welsh Government. The scheme is judged by green space experts, who volunteer their time to visit applicant sites and assess them against eight strict criteria, including horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability and community involvement. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Another local winner this year was Bryngarw Country Park, which has double cause for celebration as 2016 is also its 30th anniversary year. Bryngarw was officially opened to the public as a country park in 1986, following five years of restoration work by Ogwr Borough Council, along with Manpower Services, to install footpaths, bridges, ponds, parking and formal gardens, and open up this beautiful countryside for future generations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Over the past 30 years, Bridgend County Borough Council has continued to develop the park, which has played a vital role in conserving the county borough’s biodiversity and contributed significantly to the physical, mental and social wellbeing of the local community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Now managed by Awen Cultural Trust in partnership with Bridgend County Borough Council, Bryngarw has demonstrated to Keep Wales Tidy that the park is meeting the very best standards in environmental and heritage conservation, and that it is well maintained, provides excellent facilities and safe access to its 200,000 visitors a year, in order to achieve Green Flag status. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Richard Hughes, Chief Executive of Awen, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Bryngarw, rightly cementing its place as one of the best country parks in the UK. Awen Cultural Trust is committed to making people’s lives better by providing the very best in cultural activities and opportunities. Bryngarw winning Green Flag status, in what is our first year of operation, is testament to all who support it and help make it such a vibrant, clean and accessible experience for all.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The other local Green Flag award winners this year are Porthcawl Marina, Wilderness Lakes in Porthcawl, and Maesteg Welfare Park, as well as community award winners Caerau Market Garden, Wilderness Allotment Association and ‘Our Garden’ in Evanstown. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​