It’s been crowned the ‘best place to live in Birmingham’* and now Bournville’s iconic Village Green has been named one of the UK’s best green spaces too.
Bournville Village Green, managed and maintained by charitable trust Bournville Village Trust, has been awarded a Green Flag Award and Green Heritage Site Accreditation.
The internationally-recognised Green Flag awards recognise and reward well managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the UK.
Whilst the Green Heritage Site accreditation is a special recognition within the Green Flag scheme that celebrates parks, gardens and green spaces with historic importance.
Dating back to 1900, Bournville’s Green is a centrepiece of Bournville Village and plays host to annual events like a Pride Picnic, live music and a Christmas light switch-on.
It’s also home to the listed Bournville Rest House, which is now run as a heritage centre by Bournville Village Trust and hosts exhibitions and heritage-activities.
Neil Towle, Head of Grounds Maintenance at Bournville Village Trust, said: “We are incredibly proud that Bournville Village Green has been awarded both a Green Flag Award and Green Hertitage Accreditation.
“Our Estates and Grounds Maintenance teams work hard to keep our parks and green spaces clean, green and well maintained so they’re welcoming, accessible and can be enjoyed by all. The Green Flag Award is testament to their hard work and commitment.”
Bournville Village Green was first awarded a Green Flag in 2014 but after a six-year hiatus (it last held it in 2020), it regained it this year and added the Green Heritage Accreditation to its list of accolades once again.
Pete Richmond, Chief Executive of Bournville Village Trust, said: “Well managed parks and green spaces aren’t just a nice to have; they play a vital role in supporting people’s health and wellbeing and boosting biodiversity.
“Despite a tough economic climate, Bournville Village Trust has continued to invest in our parks and open spaces, spending £60,000 on repairs and improvements as well as planting new trees, launching a caretaking service and carrying out improvement projects.
“I am delighted to be able to get the Green Flag Award back for Bournville Village Green and I would like to thank everyone who has worked together to achieve it.”
Tracey Rowe, Head of Estates and Stewardship at Bournville Village Trust, said: “We are so pleased to have been awarded a Green Flag and Green Heritage Site Accreditation for Bournville Village Green.
“The Green is one of several parks we manage across our estates, and over the next year we’ll be looking closely at how we can make sure they are all serving the needs of the local communities who use them, helping support people’s health and wellbeing and improve biodiversity.”
Bournville Village Green is one of a record breaking 2,391 in the UK to achieve the award this year – a fantastic testament to the hard work, passion and dedication of the team who care for this green space, ensuring it is maintained to a high standard for visitors and residents to enjoy.
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under contract from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.
Bournville Village Trust is one of the Midlands’ longest-serving independent charitable trusts. It works within more than a dozen diverse communities in south and central Birmingham and Telford and aims to create and sustain communities where people can thrive.
It was founded by social reformer and chocolate maker George Cadbury in 1900 and provides services to 8,000 homes and 25,000 people.
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