The Green Flag scheme is managed by Keep Britain Tidy and the Hitchin site is among 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award, which is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

North Herts District Council work closely with their grounds maintenance contractor John O'Conner and Hertfordshire County Council's Countryside Management Service, which manages various volunteer Friends groups, to keep the sites well maintained and thriving for people to enjoy.

Cllr Amy Allen, Executive Member for Environment, said: "We are so pleased to continue our run of Green Flag Awards! These parks, gardens and nature reserves across the district play an important role in residents' quality of life. They provide valuable places to relax, exercise, play and meet others, improving people's physical and mental health.

"These green havens, especially wild areas and nature reserves, also play a vital part in our environment by supporting local biodiversity which helps fight climate change – they provide food and shelter for pollinators such as bees and small mammals like hedgehogs, and store carbon and improve our air quality. 

"We are lucky to have such a wide range of greenspace on our doorstep, and it really is thanks to John O'Conner Grounds Maintenance and all the wonderful volunteers who work alongside Countryside Management Service.

"Please respect our greenspaces and other users - keep dogs under control and clean up after them, and put your rubbish in a litter or recycling bin or take it home."

Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, added: "Crucially, these sites are vital green space for communities in North Herts to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.

"Quality parks and green spaces make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest."