Ealing Council and local groups have been awarded prestigious Green Flags for 26 parks and open spaces, the highest achievement for the borough.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag awards recognise and reward the best parks and green spaces across the country. A Green Flag flying is a sign that identifies the park for its high standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent facilities.

A green flag does not imply that it is a family friendly environment. It just looks at the visual appeal at a certain time. The family friendly appeal may vary with the time of day.

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Councillor Peter Mason, the leader of the council, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "It's truly a tremendous achievement to witness 26 Green Flags fluttering proudly over our parks and beautiful green spaces, with the notable addition of Elthorne Park this year."

He added, "We recognize the importance of access to quality green spaces for the health and well-being of our residents. In line with this commitment, we are dedicated to opening 10 new parks in the coming years. This will ensure that every resident in our borough can enjoy exceptional green spaces in their local areas while also contributing to our ongoing efforts in combatting climate change."

The four parks and open spaces with Green Flag Award in Southall are:

• Southall Manor House Grounds
• Southall Park
• Spikesbridge Park
• Three Bridges Park

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The remaining borough’s 2023 Green Flag Award parks are:

• Acton Green Common
• Acton Park
• Blondin Park
• Bollo Brook Park
• Bramley Road Open Space
• Brent Lodge Park & Churchfields
• Elthorne Park
• Gunnersbury Park
• Heathfield Gardens
• Islip Manor Park
• King George’s Playing Fields (Poor’s Piece)
• Lammas Park
• Montpelier Park
• North Acton Playing Fields
• Northala Fields
• Perivale Park
• Pitshanger Park
• Ravenor Park
• Southfield Recreation Ground
• Walpole Park

The borough’s 2023 Community Green Flag Awards are:

• Katherine Buchan Meadow in Hanwell
• Litten Nature Reserve in Greenford

Councillor Deirdre Costigan, Ealing Council's deputy leader and cabinet member for climate action, said: "Parks and green spaces matter to us as they support wildlife and biodiversity. Enhancing and maintaining them is part of our commitment to make our borough more resilient to the effects of climate change."

"From the iconic hills of Northala Fields to the historic Civil War battlefield at Acton Green Common, our parks are full of heritage, biodiversity and community spaces. I’m delighted that Elthorne Park, with its pavilion and well-use tennis courts, is our newest addition to our best ever haul of green flags."

Councillor Costigan extended gratitude to the devoted volunteers who play a crucial role in keeping the parks and green spaces clean, tidy, and safe. She also urged visitors to support the preservation efforts by refraining from using barbecues, which pose serious fire risks, and disposing of rubbish responsibly in public bins

"Thank you to our incredible volunteers who help in keeping our parks and green spaces clean, tidy and safe. Anyone using our parks can help by not using any barbecues which present a serious fire risk and by taking their rubbish home or disposing of it in one of our public bins."

The Green Flag Awards are judged by more than 700 green space experts who assess using eight strict criteria including horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability and community involvement.

The Green Flag awards scheme is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. Visit www.greenflagaward.org for further details.