Sharphill Wood and Leazes Park Earn 2026 Green Flag Awards

Sharphill Wood, a 10‑hectare mixed broadleaf woodland near Edwalton in Nottinghamshire, received its fourth consecutive Green Flag Award as part of the 2026 scheme celebrating the 30th anniversary of the programme. The reserve is co‑managed by Rushcliffe Borough Council, the Friends of Sharphill Wood and the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. Council leisure portfolio holder Cllr Jonathan Wheeler said, “We’re delighted to raise the Green Flag once again and celebrate Sharphill Wood’s fourth consecutive award.”

Leazes Park in Newcastle city centre also retained its Green Flag for 2026, marking the park’s second successive year after regaining the accolade in 2025. The award came after the park had lost it in 2023, prompting local outcry. Councillor Peter Lovatt of Newcastle City Council remarked, “We are delighted to have maintained these four Green Flags for 2026.” The park’s future has been debated amid proposals to build a new stadium on the site, a plan that many local users oppose, saying the park belongs to the community.

The 2026 Green Flag assessment recognised 32 parks across the North East and over 2,000 parks nationwide for high standards of management, biodiversity and public enjoyment.