Keep Wales Tidy has unveiled this year’s Green Flag Award winners – the international mark of a quality park or green space.

East Williamston Community Jubilee Park has achieved the prestigious Green Flag Community Award in recognition of its dedicated volunteer involvement, high environmental standards and commitment to delivering great quality green space.

One of the few parks awarded Green Flag status in Pembrokeshire, the Community Park in the village of East Williamston provides a variety of areas for all to enjoy, whether just out for a stroll, something more strenuous, with children or walking a dog.

There are open play areas, quiet paths, wooded glades and plenty of benches in restful spots. It is a haven for wildlife with bird boxes and brush piles providing vital habitats. Much of the work in the park is undertaken by volunteers and currently paths are being repaired.

One of the Trustees of the East Williamston Community Association commented that during the pandemic, particularly lock down and the 5 mile rule, the Park was a lifeline where people could enjoy their hour’s exercise; a peaceful space, with room to walk or jog and stretch one’s legs while maintaining social distancing.

For a while the play area had to be closed but it is all open again now with an exciting new upgrade to the play equipment in the pipeline.

127 community managed green spaces across the country have met the high standards needed to receive the Green Flag Community Award.

This means that Wales still holds a third of the UK’s community Green Flag sites.

The Green Flag Award programme is delivered in Wales by environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy, with support from Welsh Government. Independent green space experts volunteered their time in early autumn to judge applicant sites against eight strict criteria, including biodiversity, cleanliness, environmental management, and community involvement.

Lucy Prisk, Green Flag Coordinator at Keep Wales Tidy said: “The pandemic has shown just how important high-quality parks and green spaces are to our communities. For many of us, they have been a haven on our doorstep, benefitting our health and well-being.

“The success of East Williamston Community Jubilee Park in achieving the Green Flag Community Award is a testament to the volunteers who have maintained excellent standards under the most challenging circumstances this year.

“I’d like to congratulate and thank them all for their outstanding commitment.”

A full list of award winners can be found on the Keep Wales Tidy website www.keepwalestidy.cymru/greenflag