Celebrations as Sheffield earns historic 19th Green Flag Award - full list of locations
“The outdoors is just a real gift to us and we need to look after these spaces and enjoy them”
Workers and volunteers behind protecting Sheffield’s green spaces are celebrating their achievements after the city was awarded its 19th Green Flag Award.
“We love where we live,” Friends of Firth Park volunteer Helen Turner said as the city celebrated its latest award.
Helen is part of just one of many groups located across the city that continue to maintain and improve Sheffield’s green spaces, volunteering her time in hopes of bettering her community.
And as the city continues to be celebrated for its outdoor spaces - now earning more Green Flag awards than anywhere else in Yorkshire- she says it’s vital people continue to look after their neighbourhoods.
“The outdoors is just a real gift to us and we need to look after these spaces and enjoy them,” she added.
“It doesn’t happen automatically, to be honest I don’t think the council could do it as well if there weren't a lot of volunteers who helped out.
“We love where we live and if you love where you live then look after where you live, because it’s been given to you as your place of belonging.”
The voluntary group works alongside Sheffield City Council operatives to ensure that these spaces flourish, with the Friends of Firth Park recently helping secure improvements to their playground.
- Cholera Monument
- Devonshire Green
- Ecclesall Woods
- Firth Heritage Park
- Hillsborough Park
- Meersbrook Park
- Manor Fields
- Millhouses Park
- Norfolk Heritage Park
- Peace Gardens
- Pounds Park
- Sheffield Botanical Gardens
- Sheffield General Cemetery
- Sheffield Winter Garden
- Tinsley Green
- Weston Park
- Wheata Woods
- Wyming Brook
- Shire Brook Valley Nature Reserve
New rides have already been introduced, with more set to be opened in the coming weeks.
The historic park which recently celebrated its 150th anniversary already holds the internationally-recognised Green Flag Award, alongside places like the Norfolk Heritage Park and most recently Shire Brook Valley Nature Reserve.
Community is the vital aspect of the work done across the city, with ground maintenance worker at Firth Park and Fox Hill, Kaitlyn Halsall, saying her favourite part of the job is “the thanks we get from the community.”
“It really brings people together,” she added.
“We have a lot of volunteers as well that really help the general area, as well as in the park, which I’m really appreciative of.
“The community side of it, I just really appreciate.”
Of course the job doesn’t come without its challenges, but Kaitlyn is driven by the knowledge that “green spaces are really important for people.”
“Every area has its own set of challenges,” she went on to say
“In this general area (Firth Park) we do struggle a bit with anti-social behaviour, so that’s an uphill battle.
“Things like fly-tipping we come across quite often and it just slows everything down.
“We would love to be in the park so much more often than we’re able to, but there are a lot of different challenges in different areas.”
Awards like the Green Flag reaffirm the positive impact the work is having on the community, as Sheffield continues to gain international acclaim for its natural space.
Kaitlyn said: “Sheffield’s known for being the green city isn’t it? So it’s just really nice to be involved in that.”