UK'S FAVOURITE PARK NAMED

The winners of a nationwide search to find the UK’s Favourite Parks have officially been announced.

Led by green space charity, Fields in Trust, the competition saw 364 parks nominated by those who use and love them.

Following a summer-long campaign that spotlighted the importance of having accessible green spaces in our communities, the charity announced that Penrhos Coastal Park in Holyhead achieved the most public votes and is officially the ‘UK’s Favourite Park 2022.’
 
In total, over 30,000 people cast their vote for their favourite park and Penrhos Coastal Park in Holyhead, Wales has emerged as the overall winner for the UK. In addition to these, national winners have also been named across the UK, including, Aberdeen’s Seaton Park in Scotland, and Craigavon City Park in Northern Ireland. Stanley Park has been named England’s Favourite Park 2022, attaining prestigious ‘National Treasure’ status having now been named as the public’s favourite park in England three times.
 
Fields in Trust has also published a list of ‘Local Favourites’ - parks which placed in the top 20% of the public vote - demonstrating the love their local communities have for them.
 
Attracting close to 100,000 visitors each year, Penrhos Coastal Park is near Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales. The 200-acre park has everything from beaches to woodland walks and is extremely popular with both locals and tourists alike. With a rich history dating back to 1553, the green space is also home to several features of historical interest, including original Tudor era buildings.
 
Commenting on the announcement of Penrhos Coastal Park as the ‘UK’s Favourite Park 2022’, Chief Executive of Fields in Trust, Helen Griffiths, said, “We’re incredibly excited to announce that Penrhos Coastal Park in Holyhead has been voted as the UK’s Favourite Park 2022 by those who use and love it. It is clear that this park is a very special place to a lot of people, and we are thrilled to officially crown it the UK’s favourite. We’ve had a fantastic response to the competition from all across the UK and I’d like to thank everyone who nominated and voted for parks over the past few weeks.”

Hilary Paterson-Jones of the Save Penrhos Campaign added, “We are absolutely elated for the Community here in Holyhead and far and wide who voted. Many visitors, once they find it, return to the peaceful haven they have fallen in love with. Penrhos has always been spoken about as 'Our Park' as local volunteers dug out the three ponds and pathways leading to breath-taking walks within the woodland. Penrhos has been a lifesaver through the Covid pandemic, a place to feel at one with nature, to clear one's mind and breathe in and feel a connection to our green spaces with no social alienation.

Securing more nominations than ever before, Fields in Trust say the campaign has illustrated how appreciation of our local parks has grown since the pandemic. As concerns mount over the climate crisis, green spaces have been proven to improve air quality and significantly limit the impact of heatwaves, by lowering urban temperatures.

“The UK is home to such a diverse range of green spaces, and we hope that this award has encouraged people to truly appreciate their local parks. Our work to legally protect green spaces for good means we’re well aware of the threats they face and how important it is value and celebrate them,” concluded Helen.