National Memorial Arboretum celebrates 25 years of growth with sixth consecutive Green Flag Award

The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire has received the prestigious Green Flag Award for a sixth consecutive year. This latest accolade, awarded as the organisation celebrates 25 Years since its official opening, recognises the transformative impact of creating an inspirational living landscape on a tract of former quarry workings over the past quarter of a century.

Presented by Keep Britain Tidy, the Green Flag Award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces, celebrating sites that demonstrate outstanding standards of environmental management, horticulture and visitor experience.

The recognition comes during a landmark year for the Arboretum’s landscape, which recently welcomed a donation of 80 Catherine’s Roses from HRH The Princess of Wales. The roses complement existing planting, including two National Plant Collections of Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) and Amelanchier.

Today, the Arboretum is home to more than 420 memorials set within maturing gardens and woodland that continue to evolve with every season. The sixth consecutive Green Flag Award recognises not only the quality of the landscape today, but also the dedicated care and long-term stewardship that has enabled it to flourish over the past 25 years.

Andy Ansell, Head of Estates at the National Memorial Arboretum, said: “As we celebrate 25 years since the we opened to the public, this award is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on just how far the landscape has come. Trees planted by our founders are now mature. Avenues and habitats have developed, and the site continues to grow while remaining a beautiful place for Remembrance, reflection and learning.

“Receiving a sixth consecutive Green Flag Award is testament to the dedication of our Estates Team and volunteers who care for the Arboretum every day. Their commitment ensures this special place continues to thrive, not only for today’s visitors, but for future generations.”

Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Parks are essential public spaces that support our wellbeing, our communities and our economy. Yet for millions of people, particularly in the most deprived areas, local parks simply don’t feel safe or welcoming.

“With public services under pressure, investing in parks is not a luxury, it’s a practical, preventative solution and one of the most visible ways to improve people’s quality of life. The National Memorial Arboretum has shown what can be achieved when parks are properly supported and managed. As we celebrate 30 years of the Green Flag Award, we want every community to have access to green spaces like this that are safe, welcoming and maintained to a high standard. Congratulations to everyone involved.”

The award comes as the Arboretum celebrates ’25 Years Of…’ – a programme reflecting on the people, stories and milestones that have shaped the charity since it officially opened to the public in 2001. Throughout the anniversary celebrations, visitors are invited to discover how an ambitious vision has grown from former gravel workings into the Nation’s year-round place to remember, welcoming more than 300,000 visitors annually to its 150-acre landscape.

For more information on the ’25 Years Of…’ programme, visit: https://www.thenma.org.uk/what’s-on/25-years-of.

For a full list of this year’s Green Flag Award winners, visit: http://greenflagaward.org/