PARKS AND PLAY AREAS 30 years of Green Flag Awards
- Chris Worman
- 15 hours ago
- 6 min read
 | Chris has over 41 years’ experience in the parks industry and is currently South Derbyshire District Council’s Parks and Green Spaces Manager, where he is responsible for a range of green spaces, from local parks to large areas of the National Forest, which includes 154 acres of forest and the Rosliston Forestry Centre. Chris started his career in 1984 at the age of 16, at Leicester City Council, where he rose through the ranks to Horticultural Team Leader. In 1994 he moved to become Parks and Cemeteries Officer at Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and then again in 2002 to become Parks and Grounds Manager at Rugby Borough Council. Being passionate about parks and green spaces for as long as he can remember, he became a Green Flag Award judge from the very start of the awards; over the past 30 years volunteering has given the opportunity to judge hundreds of parks both around the UK and Spain, The United Arab Emirates, Mexico, America and Saudi Arabia. For his service to the Green Flag Awards and public parks, he was awarded an MBE in the Queens 90th Birthday honours in 2016. In 2017 Chris was appointed to the UK Governments Parks Action Group as the parks industry representative, and in 2024 was appointed chair of the UK Government’s new Parks Working Group. He is one of the founder members of the Parks Management Association and is a member of The Royal Parks Guild. |
Chris, an indomitable supporter of public parks and open spaces, gives a summary of the immense value of Green Flag Awards, their origins and now expansion to a world base. “Whether it’s the smallest community green space in an urban environment, to hundreds of acres of a country park, each plays its part in connecting people with nature and creating a sense of place.”
I have also added to Chris’ article a recent announcement about the government’s injection of investment in play areas. |
It’s hard to believe but this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Green Flag Awards, which is the international mark of quality for public parks and green spaces.
I’ve had the privilege to have been involved since the start of the awards in 1996, which were established in response to decades of underfunding that left many UK parks in poor condition, often neglected, unsafe, or derelict. The aim was to create agreed standards of good management and maintenance, increase funding, and support communities who care deeply for their parks.
It was initially managed by the Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management, followed by the Civic Trust. In 2003 the scheme was gifted to the UK Government and continued to be managed by the Civic Trust until 2009, when management was awarded to a consortium which included Keep Britain Tidy. Keep Britain Tidy still manages it under contract to this day, in partnership with other national operators.
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Three Green Flag Awards for London (John Innes Park, King’s Cross Estate, St James Park)
As the award has gained recognition, it expanded beyond public parks to include cemeteries and crematoria, nature reserves, canals and reservoirs, university campuses, hospital grounds and housing estates.
Global Green Flag Awards
The scheme was also initially just in England, but soon expanded to all the other home nations, before a much wider expansion internationally. Today, Green Flag Awards are flying in 19 countries, including: Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. This growth reflects the award’s reputation as an international benchmark for well‑managed green spaces.
In the first year, only 7 Green Flags were awarded and now over 2,500 Green Flags are flying across the world. It’s amazing to think that 4 of the original 7 parks are still flying a Green Flag today.
As both a judge and applicant, the Green Flag Award stands heads and shoulders above other accreditation schemes that I have been involved in over all my years in local government (which is just coming up to 42!). The reasons for this are quite simple. Unlike most awards, one of the biggest benefits for applying for a Green Flag Award is actually going through the process itself and gaining valuable feedback from a wealth of experienced green space professionals who support the scheme as volunteer judges. It makes you look at yourself and your own service through a different set of eyes, that sometimes in the hustle and bustle of everyday life we forget.
This applies to both new entrants and reapplications which are all looking for continuous improvement. The phrase “every day is a school day” is alive and well while Green Flag Award judging and I’ve learnt so much over my years of judging and taken many ideas back into my day job.
And, of course it’s a celebration of parks and green spaces and the people who manage, maintain, volunteer and support these national treasures.
Every space is different, serving different communities with different landscapes and environmental benefits and is quite inspiring to see how people balance all these pressures to manage and maintain some amazing spaces. Whether it’s the smallest community green space in an urban environment, to hundreds of acres of a country park, each plays its part in connecting people with nature and creating a sense of place.
There are now over 1,000 volunteer judges who spend thousands of hours supporting the Green Flag Awards. 30 years ago I never imaged that I would have been so lucky to have judging experiences that I have been privileged to undertake.
The very first park I judged was Queens Park in London, and since then I have had the opportunity to visit parks and green spaces across the UK, Spain, USA, Mexico, The United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. What stands out wherever I go is an overwhelming sense of community among the many people I have the privilege to meet. Some are now friends. The golden thread that binds us together is a passion for parks and the communities they serve.
Parks remain a great leveller and should be recognised and valued for all their benefits: from the massive impact on our health and wellbeing, supporting sustainable communities, helping with climate change mitigation, and supporting biodiversity. Flying a Green Flag is a very public reminder of all of this and much, much more.
More information on the Green Flag Award can be found at www.greenflagaward.org
Play England and the government’s commitment
[Ed – this is taken from Play England’s website and outlines a welcome injection into struggling play areas. The allocation of the funding was announced on 21 March 2026: High streets revived and children given safe places to play - GOV.UK ].
Play England’s national leadership on children’s play has helped secure a major Budget commitment, with the Chancellor set to announce £18 million to refurbish 200 play areas across England. The investment follows sustained lobbying from Play England, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Play chaired by Tom Hayes MP and growing cross-party recognition of the deep inequalities in children’s access to play.
The Chancellor will announce £18m in the upcoming Budget to refurbish 200 children’s play areas across England. The investment forms part of the government’s wider commitment to strengthen communities and break down barriers to opportunity so every child can thrive.
Treasury officials confirmed that the funding is intended to “breathe new life into play areas across England, creating safe, exciting spaces for thousands of children” as part of the Pride in Place programme.
The decision reflects the mounting evidence Play England has brought forward. Research by our partners, the University of Sheffield, shows that children in more deprived communities often have significantly fewer places to play, with major gaps in access, quality and inclusion. With children from poorer households spending less time outdoors, the commitment marks an important shift in recognising the role of play in children’s health and wellbeing.
Play England welcomes the announcement, but is clear that one-off funding will not close the deep and persistent gaps in children’s access to play. The government is now responding to the case we have consistently presented: that play is fundamental to children’s health, wellbeing and development, and that long-term national action is needed to address inequality.
“But one-off funding will not close these gaps. We urgently need a new National Play Strategy and Play Sufficiency legislation within the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. That is why Play England has published It All Starts with Play! our ten-year strategy to restore a play-based childhood for all children by 2035. Without a national framework, playgrounds will remain unequal, often inaccessible, and too rarely designed to be fully inclusive.
This Budget announcement is positive. Coupled with a new national play strategy and legislation, it could be the start of real, lasting change for children, families, and communities across England." (Eugene Minogue, Executive Director of Play England).
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