Four parks in Gedling borough are in the running to be crowned winners of the Fields in Trust UK’s Best Park award, ahead of a public vote that will conclude early next month.
Gedling Country Park Country Park is joined by Arnot Hill Park, Colwick Country Park and Woodthorpe Park as the borough’s four from the 23 East Midlands nominations for the UK-wide competition, which features 360 different green spaces to choose from.
Nominations include small community gardens and large nature reserves, sports fields and playgrounds, with each one valued by its community and nominated by their regular visitors.
The competition is organised by Fields of Trust, a national charity and operate throughout the UK to safeguard recreational spaces and campaign for better statutory protection for all kinds of outdoor sites
They charity’s chief executive Helen Griffiths, said: ” Despite their clear health benefits, parks and green spaces are facing an uncertain future – across the UK outdoor spaces are under threat.
“The UK’s Best Park Award celebrates the parks and green spaces which are so vital to the communities that use them.
“Recognising the UK’s Best Park is a way of revaluing our green spaces; not viewing them just as a drain on resources for maintenance and upkeep – but seeing what benefits they bring; access to good quality recreational space can contribute to the physical and mental health of their local population and provide places for people to get together for community events.”
In 2016, Rouken Glen Park in East Renfrewshire was named UK’s Best Park out of a field of 214 nominations.
You can vote for your favourite online at the charity’s website: http://www.fieldsintrust.org/bestpark/eastmidlands until 5pm on Friday, November 3.
