West Ham Park – the largest open space in the London Borough of Newham – has been awarded the prestigious Green Flag Award, recognising it as one of the very best managed parks in the world.
It comes as the site, which has been managed by the Corporation since 1874, celebrated its 150th anniversary last weekend (Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July 2024) with a festival of music, sport, and family fun.
The grade II listed site attracts 2.2 million visitors each year and provides important wildlife habitats, including wildflower meadows, long grass areas, gardens, and ponds, and supports a wide range of breeding birds.
It has 12 tennis courts, three cricket nets, football pitches and a grass running track used by local schools for sports days during the summer months. There is a large children’s playground – which recently underwent a £750,000 upgrade – as well as a bandstand, historic ornamental gardens, and a community vegetable garden.
Chair of the City Corporation’s West Ham Park Committee, Caroline Haines, said:
“West Ham Park is a vibrant and beautiful space where people of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds come together. It is a vital part of the community, offering diverse recreational opportunities, educational programs, and a serene environment for people to relax, enjoy, and spend time in nature.
“It is the jewel in the crown of east London, and I am incredibly proud of our hard working staff and The Friends of West Ham Park for everything they do to keep it in such wonderful condition all year round.”
The Corporation protects over 11,000 acres of green space across London and southeast England, investing over £38m a year.
Many of these sites operate as charitable trusts and are run at little or no cost to the communities they serve.
They include a wide variety of critically important wildlife habitats, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Areas of Conservation, and National Nature Reserves, and are protected under legislation.
A recent report revealed that West Ham Park is worth £9.9 million every year in benefits to society and delivers a benefit-to-cost ratio of 11.7, which means that every £1 spent on maintenance delivers £11.70 in public benefits.
ENDS
Notes to editors
The Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK – .
The Green Flag Award® scheme is run by the environmental charity, Keep Britain Tidy, and sets the benchmark for the management of outdoor spaces across the UK and around the world – www.keepbritaintidy.org/green-flag-award.
Full list of Corporation Green Flag Award Winners:
- West Ham Park
- Ashtead Common
- Bunhill Fields
- Burnham Beeches National Nature Reserve
- Cemetery and Crematorium
- Coulsdon Common
- Epping Forest
- Farthing Downs & New Hill
- Hampstead Heath
- Highgate Wood
- Kenley Common
- Queen’s Park
- Riddlesdown
- Spring Park
- West Wickham Common
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