Nine parks in Leeds are in with a chance of being named best in UK

Armley and Gotts Park, Meanwood Park, Moortown Park, Nunroyd Park in Yeadon, Roundhay Park, Springhead Park in Rothwell, Temple Newsam Park, The Hollies in Headingley and Sandringham Park in Wetherby have been nominated in The Fields in Trust UK’s Best Park 2019.

The winner will be decided through a public vote. A total of 364 parks and green spaces are in the running, with 30 of them in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Fields in Trust Chief Executive Helen Griffiths said: “Our parks and green spaces are a vital part of UK community infrastructure. We know that they provide benefits to the physical health, mental wellbeing and community connections for people that use them, so we are delighted to see a record number of nominations for the UK’s Best Park award and it is encouraging to see so many people organising picnics with neighbours to celebrate how much they love their local park. Fields in Trust is committed to protecting these valuable and much-loved parks and green spaces for future generations to enjoy.”

Fields in Trust is a UK-wide charity that legally protects parks and green spaces. The UK’s Best Park Award recognises the role that parks play in our communities, supporting mental and physical health and bringing people together.

The charity is concerned that many parks and green spaces are at risk of being lost. Last month Fields in Trust published research which revealed that more than 2.5 million people across Great Britain live more than ten-minutes’ walk from a park or green space.

Nominations for UK’s Best Park 2019 include small community gardens and large nature reserves, sports fields and playgrounds.

Voting is open until Monday, August 19 at www.fieldsintrust.org/best-park/yorkshire.

The park with the most votes in each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will be shortlisted, with the overall winner announced in mid-September.