STRATFORD Park is among the best in the UK according to a national organisation.

Keep Britain Tidy has just awarded the park a prestigious Green Flag Award in recognition of its status as one of the most attractive parks in the country.

The environmental charity announced a record-breaking number of winning parks and green spaces this year, with a total of 1,447 receiving the award.

Councillor June Cordwell, who chairs SDC’s community services committee, said the authority was ‘absolutely delighted’ to scoop the gong for a tenth year in a row.

"This award recognises and highlights that people in the district are benefiting from a green space of the very highest quality.

"The facilities in the park are used extensively and it is a wonderful asset enjoyed by the whole community."

A Green Flag flying overhead is a sign to people visiting that the park boasts the highest possible standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent facilities.

Keep Britain Tidy said the record number of awards across the country showed more people than ever would have access to well-managed, quality green spaces, which are vital for the public’s health and wellbeing.

 

Sunday 3pm - Headline:      Forest Green Rovers recognised for leading the drive against global warming


FOREST Green Rovers have proved they are top of the league and several points clear of the competition when it comes to reducing their environmental impact.

An eye-catchning initiative, which sees the football club’s players do their bit to tackle global warming by driving electric cars to training, has just won Rovers a prestigious award.

At the Business Green Leaders Awards 2013, the club scooped the Green Transport Project of the Year gong for their innovative scheme.

During the final three months of the 2012/13 season, Rovers players began driving the 100 per cent electric Nissan LEAF vehicles to training from Birmingham, the Home Counties and across the West Country.

With the players enthusiastically embracing the concept, it is estimated the combination of carpooling and electric vehicles will help reduce the team’s carbon emissions by around 80 per cent over the course of a season.

Awarding the prize, the Business Green adjudication panel said: "In this highly competitive category, the judges were won over by Forest Green Rover's eye-catching initiative to provide electric cars for their first team players.

"Backed by Ecotricity, the club has pledged to become the greenest football team in the UK and the judges praised the roll out of a fleet of Nissan LEAF's as a high profile move that further demonstrates the attractiveness of electric cars."

Forest Green's chairman Dale Vince, said: "Transport is one of the biggest environmental impacts in the world and football is no different, with teams and fans across the country covering millions of miles every season by car and coach.

"We've teamed up with Nissan, to get our whole first team squad into the LEAF, Nissan's 100 per cent electric car."

He added: "We're chuffed to win this award and hope this gets other organisations thinking about how they could use electric cars - not only are they better for the environment, but also miles cheaper to run."