Tidy NI awards three sites with Green Flag

The Green Flag scheme aims to encourage the provision of good quality public parks and green spaces that are managed in environmentally sustainable ways.

This year the Mallusk Cemetery was again awarded the flag along with the Newtownabbey Way and Kilbride Cemetery which received the award for the first time.

The awards are judged by volunteer expert judges who visit sites and assess them against set criteria, including cleanliness, sustainability and conservation.

Dr Ian Humphreys, chief executive of Tidy said: “This is a record-breaking year for the Green Flag Awards reflecting the hard work of our green space managers and volunteers who work tirelessly to keep our public spaces looking great.

“The parks sector is facing some tough challenges, particularly with the growing pressure on local council budgets, so it is heartening to see that they are committed to maintaining and improving standards in our green space, which is clearly demonstrated by the growing number of sites awarded the standard.”