Margam Country Park Battles Amongst Britain’s Bests Parks

Beating off hundreds of other UK parks and green spaces to win the Green Flag’s UK People’s Choice Award in 2013, staff at Neath Port Talbot’s Margam Country Park have set their sights high once more and are aiming to bag the number one spot for 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The UK People’s Choice Award is awarded to the Green Flag park that receives the most online public votes – a coveted and prestigious award with stiff competition from the likes of previous winner Victoria Park in the East End of London. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In celebration of the award’s twentieth anniversary, the scheme will be recognising the top ten Green Flag Award parks as voted by the public. Margam Country Park now needs your vote to reach the sought-after number one spot. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Set in 1,000 acres of beautiful countryside, the Park is home to the magnificent gothic-style Margam Castle, former residence of the Talbot family, the seventeenth century Orangery and manicured ornamental gardens. The state of the art Margam Discovery Centre is one of the more recent additions to the park: a low carbon footprint building designed by The Welsh School of Architects offers high quality education all age groups, both residentially and for day visits. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Margam Country Park is also home to three breeds of deer (Fallow, Red Deer and endangered Pere David deer) which roam approximately 500 acres of parkland. The park boasts a narrow-gauge railway, adventure playgrounds, children’s Fairytale Land and a rare breeds’ farm trail. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Thanks to the continuing commitment of Neath Port Talbot Council, we are able to enjoy the likes of Margam Country Park, Victoria Gardens, Gnoll Country Park and Talbot Memorial Park, which are all nominated for the UK People’s Choice Award. These parks received recognition for their cleanliness, safety, standard of maintenance, community involvement, sustainability, management, conservation and heritage. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To vote for Margam Park simply go to http://www.greenflagaward.org/park-summary/?Parkid=2240, and select ‘Vote for this Site’. Voting closes at noon on 30th September 2016. The top ten parks and green spaces in the UK will be announced in October. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Council Leader Ali Thomas OBE said: “Margam Country Park has got what it takes to achieve the number one spot in UK People’s Choice Awards, as demonstrated by its previous win in 2013. Though there is stiff competition, I believe we can secure the title once again if we ask all our residents and visitors to take a couple of seconds out of their day to vote. Help us win again and vote now!” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Green Flag Award is a UK-wide partnership, and is delivered in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy (a registered environmental charity working for the improvement of Wales’ local’ environments) with help from Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​