The Friends of Northwood Cemetery, in association with the Isle of Wight Council, is celebrating after receiving its 8th Green Flag Award for Northwood Cemetery.
The site is one of 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award, which is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.
The news that Northwood Cemetery has met the standards required for the accreditation is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that care for the green space so that visitors and residents alike can enjoy it.
Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said:
“Congratulations to everyone involved in Northwood Cemetery who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it achieves the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.
“Quality parks and green spaces like Northwood Cemetery make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.
“Crucially, Northwood Cemetery is a vital green space for communities in the Cowes, Northwood and Gurnard areas 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.”
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, 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.
A spokesperson from the Friends of Northwood Cemetery said:
“We are delighted that we have again been successful in being awarded Green Flag status, this being our 8th year in succession.
“This is a tremendous achievement for the ‘Friends of Northwood Cemetery’ and once again the only site on the Island to do so.
“Our thanks go out to all the members of the Conservation Team who help to maintain the grounds in such good order, the team who provide support in the Heritage Resource Centre, all our members and members of the public who support our fundraising activities, not forgetting all those who visit the site attending the graves of lost loved ones, for recreational purposes or just absorbing the tranquillity and natural beauty of the site.”
Baz Sowerby, you are my hero.