Wivenhoe Park wins Green Flag People’s Choice Award 2023

Wivenhoe Park, the home of the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus, has been named one of the UK’s top 10 favourite green spaces once again after winning the Green Flag People’s Choice Awards 2023.

Thousands of members of the public cast their vote for their favourite parks across the UK as part of the People's Choice Awards and Wivenhoe Park has won a place in the People’s Choice top 10 for the sixth year running.

Grounds Manager Mick Minshull said: “The University’s Colchester Campus is an amazing place to work and it gives me a great sense of satisfaction to know that we are providing an area of outstanding beauty for students and staff to take a break and enjoy the nature that is all around them.”

Research shows that for parks to be able to contribute to improvements in health and wellbeing, they must be accessible, well-managed and maintained, and offer something for everyone within the community. Research at Essex specifically has also highlighted how important exercising outdoors in natural environments can be to our health and wellbeing.

Wivenhoe Park was one of 2,216 UK parks and green spaces which met the standard of the Green Flag Award – the international quality standard managed by Keep Britain Tidy which recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces.

The People’s Choice Awards 2023 are bestowed on the top ten favourite Green Flag Award parks according to the 21,000 members of the public who cast their vote this year.

Green Flag Award Manager Paul Todd said: “Our parks and green spaces are essential to people’s wellbeing and we know these free to access places will continue to be vital to communities.

“To have achieved this recognition from the public is testament to the tireless work by the parks staff and volunteers to make [park name] a wonderful place that everyone can enjoy.

“Our Green Flag Award winners include some of the country’s best-known and iconic parks as well as community green spaces and university campuses and canals.

“We want to congratulate the University of Essex on its fantastic achievement.”

For more details about the awards and the winners, visit www.greenflagaward.org