Voting is taking place for the Green Flag Awards, which recognise well managed parks and open spaces for all to enjoy. Please vote for Oakwell Hall in 2010 by clicking here!

Click on 'read more' to see details of previous awards won.

2009:

Oakwell Hall Country Park in Birstall has been awarded its fifth successive Green Flag for excellence in green space management. Richard Aspinall, who heads the four-strong Ranger team at the 110-acre country park, said this outstanding success was down to the continuing efforts of staff and vounteers, including the Friends of Oakwell group, to carry out improvements at the site.

"Each year we have to be able to demonstrate that improvement of the site is ongoing. Since our Green Flag award last year there has been half a kilometer of new footpaths laid, the 'Fiddleheads and Fernblades' sculpture installed, the renovation and redesign of the garden in front of Oakwell Hall, a new website and new interpretation panels around the site, a Yorkshire in Bloom silver gilt award and the start of a boardwalk and ponds project with the BTCV volunteer group," he explained.

Oakwell Hall Country Park is one of 54 sites in Yorkshire, and the only site in Kirklees, to be awarded a Green Flag in the annual scheme previously run by the Civic Trust and now administered by Keep Britain Tidy.

Over 1000 green spaces nationally were recognised this year by the award scheme which is the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales. In total, 917 Green Flags and 96 Green Pennant Awards, which are presented to green spaces that are managed by voluntary and community groups, were announced in Bournemouth last week.