Bromsgrove park amongst nation’s best - again

Bromsgrove’s Sanders Park has kept its top class status of being one of the best in England and Wales by achieving the prestigious ‘Green Flag’ award for the fifth year running.

The Green Flag awards are the national standard of excellence for parks and green spaces and those that achieve the award are judged to be welcoming, safe, well and sustainably maintained and involving the local community.

A soaking wet Sanders Park was judged in the pouring rain on June 8 by judges from Natural England and Sandwell Metropolitan Council. The rain was so heavy that day, the park’s ducks abandoned the pond to paddle in puddles in the freshly mown grass near the bandstand!

The official Green Flag was raised by the Chairman of Bromsgrove District Council Cllr June Griffiths on Wednesday July 28, accompanied by a reading of a newly-penned paean from “poetry in the park” and Street Theatre poet - and local Sanders Park enthusiast - Lis Berreen.

Chairman Griffiths said: “I’m always proud to see the reaction of guests I take to Sanders Park. Even visitors from celebrated seaside resorts appreciate the natural beauty of our park rather than the regimented flower borders you see in many places. And it isn’t just a beautiful park, many activities for the whole community take place there.

“On an afternoon there you can often see, just across from groups of mums and babies spread out on rugs, young people skateboarding and enjoying themselves in what seems to me to be a mix of time-honoured and quite modern, old and new.

“On behalf of everyone that enjoys the park I commend the hard work that goes in all year round by the staff of Leisure and Cultural Services and all those working out of our depot, which has once again brought this national accolade for the quality of our major park.”

The Sanders Park Community Friends Group meets regularly to discuss new initiatives and ideas for the park – everyone is most welcome. For further information please contact the Sanders Park Information Office on 01527 832148 (March to September).

The Green Flag award scheme encourages the provision of good quality public parks and green spaces that are managed in environmentally sustainable ways. The national scheme aspires to raise expectations of what a public green space can offer, and to demonstrate to the community that a high regard for public parks and green places is also shared by authorities.

Above: the Green Flag is raised by Chairman of Bromsgrove District Council Cllr June Griffiths

Here is the full poem read at the ceremony.

Keeping it Green © Lis Berreen July 2010

When Mary and Lucy Sanders left their land to Bromsgrove town

They gave some firm instructions that no trees would be cut down

Unless a tree should be diseased or dangerous they said

And then we’d have to quickly plant another one instead.

The land was meant to bring well-being to the population

For health and relaxation and for rest and recreation.

There were nearly forty acres of rough pasture-land to clear

With marshes, bogs, and holes and stones and a rubbish tip we hear.

The Battlefield Brook which ran right through was carefully redirected

And bridges and paths were put in place so each area was connected.

The holes were filled, the land was drained and covered with fresh soil;

New trees and shrubs were planted taking many hours of toil.

A putting green and swings and slides and tennis courts were made

And a round pond fringed with willows gave tranquillity and shade.

They laid a brand new Bowling Green right opposite the gate,

And Sanders Park was officially born in Nineteen Sixty Eight.

Since then the District Council have worked hard from dawn to dark

With grounds men, many volunteers and Friends of Sanders Park

To meet the Sanders’ covenant and not to let them down;

To keep a green and pleasant place near the middle of our town.

So now we have a Skate Park and two multi-user courts

By stretches of well-tended grass for a multitude of sports.

There’s a play-park for the children and a café and pavilion

And every year our visitors number nearly half a million.

You can walk the old historic paths that the Royal Hunters knew

Or follow woodland nature trails with flowers and wildlife too.

Battlefield Brook ran red with blood in times of civil strife

But now it’s home to Water Voles and teeming with new life.

We’ve a shelter for the teenagers and a Bonfire each November

And toilets tended twice a day from January to December

You can sit and picnic in the sun or walk the dog each day

You can watch the Bandstand Programme or feed the ducks and play.

Babies, children, teenagers and people of all ages

Enjoy the “lungs of Bromsgrove” in all its yearly stages.

The Council work to follow guidelines, ethical and sound:

Recycling, using peat-free compost, planting all year round;

Beautiful flowers each season through and a vast array of trees.

The hedges trimmed, the grass well-mown; a place to take your ease.

So we fly our Green Flag proudly as it says our park is great

The very best green space around – a cause to celebrate!