‘UNIQUE’ country parks in Warwickshire are in the running to scoop the title of the UK’s Favourite Park.
Ryton Pools, Burton Dassett Hills, Kingsbury Water Park and Hartshill Hayes have been nominated for the annual contest run by green space charity Fields in Trust.
Over the past year, almost a million people visited Warwickshire’s Country Parks, which have acted as a sanctuary for many during the pandemic.
Coun Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council’s spokeswoman for Environment, Climate and Culture, said: “The pandemic brought the value of our country parks and green spaces into sharp focus.
“Whether it’s the proven benefits that immersing yourself in the great outdoors has upon mental health and wellbeing, the positive impact of outdoor exercise on physical health, or just the chance to witness some of our county’s unique wildlife, our country parks have so much to offer.
“The Fields in Trust competition provides an opportunity to say ‘thank-you’ to our wonderful team of passionate park rangers who, both in normal times and throughout the pandemic, work tirelessly to keep our parks beautiful.”
Fields in Trust is an independent charity that has been protecting parks and green spaces for almost 100 years. The popular UK’s Favourite Parks campaign has returned for the first time since 2019, and aims to shine a light on green spaces and ensure they continue to be celebrated.
The charity recently commissioned a study which found that almost half of us have visited local parks more often that we used to as a result of the pandemic.
Fields in Trust Chief Executive Helen Griffiths said: “Our nation’s parks have been so important during the pandemic, and it is vital that we celebrate them to help ensure they are protected for future generations.
“Without urgent action, Britain’s public green space is set to decrease, putting more pressure on fewer green spaces to support the health and wellbeing of communities, now and in the future.
“Our children and grandchildren deserve to have the same access to green space that we do, so we need to act before it’s too late.”
Voting for the UK’s Favourite Park is now open and will close at noon on Thursday August 18.
At the close of voting, the parks with the most votes in each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be named ‘National Favourites’, and the overall winner the UK’s Favourite Park 2022. Any park placing within the top 20 per cent of nominations will receive recognition as a ‘Local Favourite’.
Visit https://www.fieldsintrust.org/favourite-parks for more information about the competition, and to vote.
Visit https://countryparks.warwickshire.gov.uk for more information about Warwickshire’s country parks.
