Top honour for popular Millhouses, Sheffield's destination park

Popular Millhouses Park, which is a magnet for families from across the city, picked up a platinum award at the annual Yorkshire in Bloom ceremony.

The park, a jewel in the city's crown, was commended by the judges for its range of facilities, horticultural and environmental excellence and good community links with schools, businesses and the Rotary Club.

Sheffield City Council's Parks and Countryside team and the Friends of Millhouses Park are celebrating the award,which was announced in York.

Coun Mary Lea, council cabinet member for culture, parks and leisure, said: 'It is brilliant that Millhouses Park has received the highest possible award in the Yorkshire in Bloom competition.  'It is testament to the commitment of the Friends of Millhouses Park and the SCC Parks and Countryside team that the park was particularly commended on its huge range of facilities for all ages, excellent community links and the fact that it attracts visitors from across Sheffield and beyond.  'Parks and open spaces are a great source of pride in Sheffield and I hope that this well-deserved achievement will encourage more friend's groups to enter their local park in future years.'

Andy Mumford, parks and countryside area manager atthe city council added: 'The Parks and Countryside team, Friends of Millhouses Park and other stakeholders have formed excellent working relationships to achieve this award. Hard work and dedication has made Millhouses a destination park which is loved and enjoyed by many.'

Pete Stow, from Friends of Millhouses Park said the group was delighted with the award:'The Friends of Millhouses Park are very proud to achieve this award as recognition of how hard we have worked to support the work of a fantastic park staff at Millhouses Park.

'There is a small team of dedicated volunteers who work throughout the year to maintain the gardens and keep the park clean and tidy, including in recent years the help of Abbeydale Rotary Club.

'We know that the Park looks amazing and is an incredibly busy destination park so we decided to enter this competition for the first time this year.

'We were so pleased to achieve the top award and this will encourage us to keep up our efforts in the years to come.'

The park also has  a Green Flag award, a symbol of excellence in parks and green spaces.

Created at the turn of the last century the park on Abbeydale Road boasts a cafe, lake and multiple sports facilities.

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