Four popular green spaces and nature reserves in Shoreham and Lancing have once again been recognised with national Green Flag awards.
Adur District Council has retained Green Flag status for Buckingham Park, Lancing Ring Local Nature Reserve, Lancing Manor Park and Shoreham Beach Local Nature Reserve.
The awards recognise the quality of the sites’ management, environmental standards and overall appearance.
Lancing Manor Park’s application was sponsored this year by South Downs Leisure, which operates Lancing Manor Leisure Centre within the park.
Managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, the Green Flag Award is regarded as the national benchmark for well-run parks and open spaces. Sites are assessed on areas including cleanliness, safety, biodiversity, heritage conservation, environmental management and community involvement.
The council said the achievement reflected the work of its parks team and the many volunteers who help care for the district’s parks, coastline and nature reserves throughout the year.
Members of the Friends of Buckingham Park, Friends of Lancing Ring and Friends of Shoreham Beach regularly support maintenance work, planting projects and litter-picking sessions.
Councillor Andy Harvey, Adur’s cabinet member for environment, said: "Retaining Green Flag status for all four sites is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the hard work and commitment of our parks team and the many volunteers who give their time to care for these spaces.
"Our parks, nature reserves and coastline are incredibly important for wildlife, recreation and people's wellbeing. We're proud to provide high-quality spaces that residents and visitors can enjoy, while protecting them for future generations. I'd like to thank everyone whose dedication has helped us achieve this recognition once again."
The Green Flag scheme is operated by Keep Britain Tidy under contract from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Awards are presented annually following independent inspections, with assessors looking for welcoming, well-maintained and environmentally sustainable spaces that are supported by their local communities.
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