Hull Parks celebrate prestigious green flag awards

Hull City Council is celebrating Green Flag Awards for East Park and Pearson Park, as they retain the coveted status for another year.

The Green Flag Awards scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under license from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces.

Jane Winter, Pearson Park Community Health, and Engagement Ranger, said: “Well we actually found out a couple of months, sorry, a couple of weeks ago.

“We have been waiting about three months to find out, so it was a bit of a nervous wait. But that’s when we found out and we were chuffed that we retained it again for the third year running.

“A lot of work, I suppose a lot of it behind the scenes which people don’t really see all the time. Obviously, there’s the Hull Culture and Leisure Rangers that do the day-to-day running of the park, with the litter picking and the maintaining – making sure it looks clean and tidy for everybody.

“Also, lots of grounds workers that come in, grass cutting and because were in the conservatory at the moment, obviously tending to the plants and making sure that everything is neat and tidy for the public.

“Also, of course, you’ve got the events and activities side of it, which I’m involved in, which I couldn’t do without the help of local volunteers as well, so a big thank you to them too.

“It is really vital, I think everyone found that out during the pandemic, that our open and green spaces around the city are just a lifeline to some people. Some people don’t have their own gardens, or even a yard.

“So, it’s a free, lovely, public green space that is great for getting outside, fresh air, good for mental health, all those benefits, educational – it’s fantastic.”