12 outstanding green spaces across Rochdale borough are celebrating another year of Green Flag Award success.
Heywood has retained Green Flags for the popular Queen’s Park and Hopwood Park, while Middleton celebrates 4 award-winning sites – Middleton Memorial Gardens, Middleton Cemetery, Jubilee Park and Truffet Park.
Jubilee Park in Middleton – a Green Flag Award-winning park.
In Rochdale, Denehurst Park and Balderstone Park have retained their Green Flag status, alongside a group of town centre spaces judged together: Broadfield Park, Rochdale Memorial Gardens and St Chad’s Gardens. Springfield Park also kept its Green Flag following its first submission in 2024.
Broadfield Slopes in Rochdale – part of the Green Flag Award-winning Broadfield Park.
In the Pennines, Milnrow Memorial Park and Hare Hill Park in Littleborough also retained their Green Flag status.
Hare Hill Park in Littleborough – a Green Flag Award-winning park.
It comes as the internationally recognised standard for parks and green spaces celebrates its 30th year.
These sites make up a record breaking 2,391 in the UK to achieve the award this year – a fantastic testament to the hard work, passion and dedication of the team who care for these green spaces, ensuring they are maintained to a high standard for visitors and residents to enjoy.
Councillor Tricia Ayrton, deputy leader of the council, and portfolio holder for climate change and environment, said:
“We’ve done it again — a fantastic achievement for our borough. Securing the international quality mark for green spaces is no small feat, and it certainly doesn’t happen by chance. Our teams, volunteers and community groups work hard throughout the year to ensure residents and visitors can enjoy beautiful, clean and welcoming green spaces that are valued by people of all ages.
“These spaces provide a welcome escape for many and make an important contribution to health and wellbeing. Keep an eye out for Green Flags in your local parks and green spaces.”
Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, said:
“Parks are essential public spaces that support our wellbeing, our communities and our economy. Yet for millions of people, particularly in the most deprived areas, local parks simply don’t feel safe or welcoming.
“With public services under pressure, investing in parks is not a luxury, it’s a practical, preventative solution and one of the most visible ways to improve people’s quality of life.
“Rochdale Borough Council has shown what can be achieved when parks are properly supported and managed. As we celebrate 30 years of the Green Flag Award, we want every community to have access to green spaces like this that are safe, welcoming and maintained to a high standard.
"Congratulations to everyone involved."
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under contract from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.