Public Picks The UK’s Ten Favourite Parks

Thousands vote in poll to find the most loved Green Flag Award-winning parks ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Staff and volunteers at Margam Park are celebrating after being voted one of the ten favourite parks in the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In total, more than 30,000 people voted in this year’s People’s Choice poll – showing just how much communities up and down the country value their parks and green spaces. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The People’s Choice competition is organised by the Green Flag Award scheme which recognises and rewards the best green spaces in the UK and beyond. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Green Flag Awards, delivered in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy with support from Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Margam Park has met the high standards to achieve the Green Flag Award for the past four years and is one of Wales’ premier parks. It boasts the magnificent Margam Castle and Orangery, ornamental gardens and a deer park, set in 1,000 acres of beautiful countryside. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Councillor Ali Thomas OBE said: “This is excellent news for Margam Park. It’s a great accolade to be the only park in Wales to have achieved the People’s Choice Award and to be one of just 10 in the whole of the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I would like to thank all the staff and volunteers of the park who work tirelessly to maintain the castle grounds and the estate as their help is invaluable. Margam Park is such an important landmark both for residents of and visitors to the county borough and this award highlights just how much people value it. Wales is rich in natural beauty and breath-taking parks, so this award is testament to just how special Margam Park is. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“More than 1,700 UK parks and green spaces flying a Green Flag Award were eligible to enter, so I would like to say a very big thank you to everyone who voted for Margam as without their votes this wouldn’t have happened.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Keep Wales Tidy’s Green Flag Award Coordinator, Lucy Prisk, said: “It is fantastic to see so many people voting in this year’s People’s Choice, showing their support for Welsh parks and demonstrating how much our communities value their green space. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’d like to congratulate all of the staff and volunteers at Margam Park who go the extra mile to maintain its high standards and make it such a wonderful place for people to visit.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​