Normand Park Raises Green Flag

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Festival celebrates award for best green space

The Friends of Normand Park are holding a Festival on Sunday September 12 to celebrate receiving its first Green Flag Award.

These awards are given out each year to recognise and reward the best green spaces in the country, and Normand Park was one of four local spaces to be given flags this year.

The others - Ravenscourt and Frank Banfield Parks and Margravine Cemetery - all retained their flags from last year while Normand Park was a first time winner after being redeveloped and reopening two years ago.

The festival will run from 11am till 5pm with a Green Flag Raising Ceremony at 1.30pm.

During the ceremony there will be a short remembrance for Brenda Dunne, former secretary of the Friends of Normand Park.

The festival will also have lots of fun for all the family, incluidng a bouncy castle and facepainting, a range of stalls and teas and a barbecue for the grown ups.

The Green Flag isn't the park's first award - in the last year it has also won a prestigious Landscape Institute Award and been commended in the Civic Trust Awards.

Here's what the Green Flat judges said about the park: " Prior to redevelopment, Normand Park was a worn down, underused magnet for crime and antisocial behaviour.

" The redevelopment of the park formed part of the neighbourhood regeneration programme, North Fulham New Deal for Communities (NFNDC) commitment to improving the neighbourhood and help make it an area that people would like to live and stay. Through funding from the NFNDC and a commitment to partnership working between the local community, the council and local groups Normand Park has been transformed.

" Normand Park was reopened in July 2008 following extensive involvement of the local community in the design and future management of this local open space. Involving the local community early on the process ensured that the park accurately reflected local aspirations and needs for their open space while creating a legacy of proactive community involvement and positive activities in the space.

"The resulting park is welcoming, safe, vibrant, and inclusive. Local people can relax and unwind, play and meet with others in the community in an innovative, high quality green space in the heart of west London. Positive engagement has increased the number of healthy activities in the space and restored community pride in the local area. "

 

September 9, 2010