Eight Green Flags for the Second Year Running

The Royal Parks is celebrating after all eight Royal Parks were awarded Green Flags. Bushy Park, Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park, Richmond Park, and St James's Park have all been commended for their excellence.

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by the Civic Trust, is the national standard for parks and is a means of recognising and rewarding the best green spaces in the country. Each of The Royal Parks has been judged as being welcoming, safe, well maintained and as having strong links with the local community and high environmental standards.

Greenwich Park has received the double of honour of receiving a Green Heritage Site Accreditation. Green Heritage Site status is sponsored by English Heritage and promotes the value of, and best practice in, the care and upkeep of parks and green spaces in England that are of local or national historic interest.

Mark Camley, Chief Executive of The Royal Parks said: "We are delighted that each of the eight Royal Parks has again been awarded a Green Flag. The 5,000 acres of historic parkland that make up The Royal Parks are maintained to a very high standard. Millions of Londoners and tourists enjoy visiting The Royal Parks for free every year and we are very proud of the service that we provide."

Notes to Editors

About The Green Flag Award Scheme: The Green Flag Award scheme, launched in 1996, is managed by the Civic Trust on behalf of Communities and Local Government and the Green Flag Advisory Board which comprises founders of the scheme, sponsors, winners and judges. It is sponsored by Communities and Local Government, English Heritage, The Countryside Agency, English Nature and in Wales by the Countryside Council for Wales, the Design Commission for Wales, Environment Agency Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government.

About Greenwich Park: Greenwich Park is the oldest enclosed Royal Park. There has been a settlement on this site since Roman times, but Greenwich is more strongly associated with royalty. The land was inherited in 1427 by the Duke of Gloucester, brother of Henry V, and generations of monarchs have enjoyed this magnificent park ever since.

About The Royal Parks: The Royal Parks is an executive agency of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The Royal Parks are: Bushy Park, The Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, Richmond Park and St James's Park.

For more information please visit: www.royalparks.org.uk

The Royal Parks: Katy Murray on 020 7298 2128 or kmurray@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk