Green Flag Award 2022 Holy Cross Woodchurch Churchyard flies the flag as one of the country’s best parks Today, Holy Cross Woodchurch Parish Church is raising a Green Flag Award at Holy Cross Woodchurch Churchyard The award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces After 18 months that have seen our parks and green spaces play a vital role for people through lockdowns as a place to relax, exercise and meet friends and family safely, the news that Holy Cross Woodchurch Churchyard has achieved the Green Flag Award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that make the green space a great space that everyone can enjoy. Holy Cross Woodchurch Churchyard joins parks and green spaces as diverse as the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, Woodhouse Park in Peterlee and Chiswick Old Cemetery in London. Commenting on the news that Holy Cross Woodchurch Churchyard has achieved the Green Flag Award standard, Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making Holy Cross Woodchurch Churchyard worthy of a Green Flag Award.” “To meet the requirements demanded by the scheme is a testament to the hard work of the staff and volunteers who do so much to ensure that Holy Cross Woodchurch Churchyard has high standards of horticulture, safety and environmental management and is a place that supports people to live healthy lives.” The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world. In celebration of this year’s announcement, Green Flag Award is asking buildings and monuments around the UK to #GoGreenForParks today to show appreciation for the spaces that mean so much to people. A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available here Notes to editors The Green Flag Award Scheme (http://greenflagaward.org/) is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity. We set the standard for the management of parks and beaches, and inspire people to be litter-free, waste less and live more sustainably. We run campaigns and programmes including the Great British Spring Clean, Eco-Schools, Love Parks, Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/ Seaside Awards for beaches. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy, our campaigns and programmes visit www.keepbritaintidy.org. Any green space that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award. Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag Award status. A Green Flag Community Award recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups. Green Heritage Site Accreditation is judged on the treatment of the site’s historic features and the standard of conservation. Press enquiries Contact the Keep Britain Tidy press office: Helen Bingham helen.bingham@keepbritaintidy.org Keep Britain Tidy Mobile: 07768 880016
The Rt Revd Mark Tanner has been named by Downing Street as the next Bishop of Chester, succeeding the Rt Revd Dr Peter Forster who retired in September 2019.Bishop Mark is currently the Bishop of Berwick in the Diocese of Newcastle, a post he has occupied since 2016.“It will be hard to say goodbye to the North East,” he says, “however, Lindsay and I are really excited to return to Chester where I was ordained, and both of our children were born.” Bishop Mark served as curate of our neighbouring Parish of Upton St Mary’s from 1998-2000. Following his curacy, he took up a post of Vicar in Doncaster until 2007 when he moved to a parish in Ripon . He later became warden of Cranmer Hall, a theological college in Durham where he served until becoming Bishop of Berwick. Mark says: “It is an honour and a joy to be appointed to the Diocese of Chester at such a key time in the life of our communities, nation, and Church. In Christ, God offers a gift of hope beyond our imagining; there is no greater joy or privilege than enabling others to step into this freedom and life, whether in deeply practical service or beautiful wonder and worship. God is here for all."Bishop Mark and his wife, Lindsay, were introduced to the diocese online via a series of live-streamed events on 12th-13th May. Recordings of these events can be accessed through the diocese of Chester website. The events which can be accessed include a recording of Bishop Mark answering questions put to him by women in ministry from across the diocese in a meeting chaired by our Rector Revd Christine. Bishop Mark has said that he looks forward to getting to know the people and communities of the diocese of Chester from the coast to the Pennines, we look forward to welcoming him to the diocese and hope that he will come to visit us in Woodchurch at the earliest opportunity.Bishop Christine, the Bishop of Newcastle says: “It has been a real joy to work with Mark as a key member of the team here. I have appreciated his friendship and counsel, his kindness and a great sense of fun, and most particularly, his focus on those whom we are called to serve as Christ’s church today. He has been instrumental in helping us establish our Resource Church and imagine new possibilities in terms of ministry and mission. I know the Diocese of Chester will be blessed through his ministry there.” Adapted from the announcement on the Diocese of Chester Website by Revd Christine #thisischesterdiocese
