Release Date 19 July 2017

The University of Reading's Whiteknights campus has been recognised as one of Britain's top green spaces for the seventh year in a row.

The Green Flag Award is the hallmark for high quality parks and green spaces in the UK. The Whiteknights campus includes a lake, woodlands and the widely enjoyed Harris Garden, set among 123 hectares.

This year a total of 1,797 UK parks and green spaces have been recognised for their quality - with Whiteknights ranking amongst the highest scoring.

During their assessment the judging panel praised the management of the campus grounds, noting a strong management plan and a shared sense of pride observed across the teams responsible for maintaining the site.

The judging report noted:   

"There is an immense and justifiable sense of pride from the team responsible for this exceptional site. We acknowledge that this standard does not happen by ‘happy accident' it comes from the commitment of the team and appropriate levels of funding. The team should be proud of their hard work maintaining the site to such high standards".

Colin Robbins, Director of Estates and Facilities, said:

"We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Award for the seventh year in a row. Our maintenance and management teams should be justifiably proud of what they continue to achieve year on year, and I hope they take on board both the compliments from the judges and my own hearty gratitude.

"Each flag is a celebration of the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award. The success of the scheme, especially in these challenging times, demonstrates just how much green spaces matter to people."

Now into its third decade, the Green Flag Awards Scheme is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. Any green space that is accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award.

For more information on the Green Flag award scheme, visit www.greenflagaward.org.