Islington green spaces recognised in prestigious Green Flag Awards

King Square Gardens was awarded new Green Flag status in this year’s awards, which recognise the most beautiful, well-managed outdoor spaces in the country and across the world.  

Nine more Islington green spaces – including Arundel Square, Caledonian Park, Fortune Street Park, Gillespie Park, Highbury Fields, Landseer Gardens, Rosemary Gardens, Whittington Park, and Wray Crescent Open Space – retained their previously-awarded Green Flag status.  

Meanwhile, Arlington Square Gardens, Barnsbury Square Gardens, Graham Street Park, King Henry’s Walk Garden, and the Mary Tealby Peace Garden were all recognised with Green Flag Community Awards, which community groups apply for themselves.  

Islington’s parks and green spaces are vital for people across the borough, especially those that do not have an outdoor space of their own, offering opportunities for relaxation, physical activity and sport. By boosting biodiversity and canopy cover, they also support the council’s efforts to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies.  

The council is determined to maximise Islington’s green spaces, as havens for improving mental and physical wellbeing while reducing health inequalities. Earlier this month, Islington and Camden councils announced their joint Parks for Health strategy, which seeks to reimagine how parks and green spaces in both boroughs can become an integral part of the health and wellbeing system. 

Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Air Quality, and Transport, said: “We know how important Islington’s green spaces are to local people and communities, and these Green Flag awards are recognition of the incredible efforts that go into looking after them.  

“In a densely populated borough like Islington, where many do not have their own private outdoor space, parks offer huge opportunities for relaxation and physical activity. Our green spaces play a vital role in supporting the health of our residents and that’s why we’re working hard to make them more accessible and attractive, with even greater opportunities for sport and leisure.

“We’d like to thank the volunteers, community groups, and council staff for maintaining Islington’s parks as beautiful, welcoming spaces for local people.” 

The Green Flag Award Scheme, managed by Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, sets the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world. 

Any green space that is free to enter and accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award.