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COCKINGTON COUNTRY PARK WINS GREEN FLAG AWARD
FOR 14TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
Cockington Country Park, Torquay, has been awarded the prestigious GreenFlag for the 14th consecutive year running - making it one of just fiveparks in the UK to have received the award since the scheme began in 1997. Cockington is the longest holder of the Green Flag award in the South West, with the other four parks based in London, Kent and Lancashire. The Green Flag award is a nationally recognised scheme for quality, aiming to raise the standards of green spaces which are free to enter and open to the public. Judges look for spaces which are welcoming, healthy and safe, clean and well-maintained, as well as areaswhich are sustainable and involve the local community. Recent additions to Cockington's 450 acre Country Park include:
• Laying and planting over 1km of hedgerow as part of the Trust's programme of Countryside Stewardship work.
•Establishing a ‘Friends of Cockington' group, which allows regular users of the Park to input into its management and take part in volunteering with the Trust.
• Following a successful apprenticeship, the Trust has employed a second full-time member of staff to look after the grounds. CockingtonCountry Park has been managed by Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust for ten years - since the Trust itself began. Countryside Manager, Steve Bradley, who oversees Trust staff and volunteers, said: "Cockington is a special place with a wealth of history and interest. The judges were particularly inspired by the range of activities available, such as at our residential camping barn - they were also impressed by the beauty of the landscape and the way that it is managed." Cockington Country Park is maintained by a small number of employees at Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust, relying heavily on volunteer support which contributes to over 3,000 hours per year and involves local people in practical conservation and horticulture.
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