Today, Tuesday 15 July, North Devon Council is celebrating after receiving a Green Flag Award for Yeo Valley Woodland in Barnstaple and Bicclescombe Park in Ilfracombe.

The sites are two of 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award, which is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

The news that Yeo Valley Woodland and Bicclescombe Park have met the standards required for the accreditation is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that care for these green spaces so that visitors and residents alike can enjoy them.

Councillor Ricky Knight, Lead Member for Climate and Biodiversity at North Devon Council, said: “We’re incredibly proud to see these wonderful green spaces in Barnstaple and Ilfracombe receive national recognition. Yeo Valley Woodland and Bicclescombe Park are not only places of natural beauty but vital havens for biodiversity and wellbeing. This award reflects the value our community places on nature and our commitment to preserving and enhancing it for future generations. The fact that Bicclescombe Park has now achieved Green Flag status for the 21st consecutive year, and Yeo Valley Woodland for the 14th, is an extraordinary achievement and a testament to the dedication of our parks team and the incredible work of local volunteer groups who help us care for these special places.”

Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, said: “Congratulations to everyone involved in Yeo Valley Woodland and Bicclescombe Park who have worked tirelessly to ensure that they achieve the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.

“Quality parks and green spaces like Yeo Valley Woodland and Bicclescombe Park make the country a healthier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.

“Crucially, Yeo Valley Woodland and Bicclescombe Park are vital green spaces for communities in North Devon to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis they are free and safe spaces for families to socialise. They also provide important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence 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.