Six Islington parks have been recognised as some of the most beautiful, well-managed green spaces in the country.
Highbury Fields, Caledonian Park, Fortune Street Park, Wray Crescent Open Space and Landseer Gardens have been awarded Green Flag status.
Gillespie Park also retained the accolade, which it was given last year.
In addition, Arlington Square Gardens, Mary Tealby Peace Garden in Paradise Park and King Henry’s Walk Gardens all won Green Flag Community Awards, which local groups apply for themselves.
READ MORE: King Henry’s Walk Garden: The magical green space you didn’t know existedCllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s executive member for environment and transport, said: “As part of our commitment to a cleaner, greener future, Islington Council is determined to ensure that our green spaces are the best they possibly can be, in order to boost ecological diversity and provide a safe space for local people to exercise and relax.”
She said the awards would not have been possible without the “outstanding efforts” of council staff, conservation volunteers and community groups.
The Green Flag Awards scheme is run by Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in partnership in the UK with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.
Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “This year, more than ever, our parks and green spaces have been a lifeline and we know that millions of people have used them to relax, meet friends, exercise or simply escape for a short time.
“It is testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of parks staff and volunteers that, despite the challenges that went along with record numbers of visitors, Islington Council has achieved the highest international standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”
The Green Flag Awards have pinpointed 2,000 green spaces across the country to collect the decoration for 2020.
The scheme also operates abroad, including in Portugal, New Zealand and America.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here