Green Flag again for Sidmouth’s Connaught Gardens

Seventh consecutive year for Green Flag Award at Sidmouth’s Connaught Gardens

JEWEL in the crown Connaught Gardens in Sidmouth and Exmouth’s Manor Gardens, are officially among the best in the country.

Both have again received the prestigious Green Flag Award, a sign to visitors the gardens are well-maintained and well-managed high quality green spaces, with excellent facilities. It’s the seventh year in a row for Sidmouth, while Exmouth has now won the award six times consecutively.

This year a record 1,288 parks and green spaces will fly either the Green Flag or Community Award, a sign that the value of green space is widely acknowledged as vital to our communities.

Councillor Iain Chubb, EDDC’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “I’m truly proud of the gardening staff who work so hard in all weathers to provide our towns with the kind of gardens and floral displays that give East Devon the wow factor.

“To continue winning this prestigious award against a backdrop of reduced funding is indeed an impressive achievement.”

Phil Barton, Green Flag plus partnership chairman, said: “I would like to congratulate this year’s winners, who have worked hard throughout the year to keep their parks and green spaces at a high standard and ensure they are pleasant and enjoyable spaces for the whole community.

“The Green Flag Award Scheme, and its growth, is essential in driving up the standards of our parks and green spaces. In these challenging financial times it is heartening that the number of Green Flag Awards continue to grow.

“As the value of green space and the role it plays in our communities strengthens, we must ensure these high standards remain.”

All award-winning sites now have the chance to receive a further award, the People’s Choice Award, which is voted for by the public.

To register your vote, visit the Green Flag Award website.