Wapley Bushes gains eighth Green Flag Community Award in a row

Members of Wapley Bushes Conservation Group showing off their eighth Green Flag Community Award at one of the Bug Hotels during their July work morning on the Local Nature Reserve.

Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve and the Orchard for the Future have been recognised as one of the UK’s very best green spaces. Today, a record number of parks and green spaces collect a Green Flag Award.

This international award, now into its third decade, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.

Wapley Bushes has won the Green Flag Community Award, a category for green spaces that are managed by voluntary and community groups. There are only eleven Community Awards in the whole of the South West. In fact there are only two Green Flag Awards of any kind in South Gloucestershire, the other one being Page Park in Staple Hill.

Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve is an area of meadows and woodlands which is very popular with local people of all ages. It is managed by the volunteers of the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group on behalf of site owners Dodington Parish Council.

Committee member Paul Hulbert said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Community Award for the eighth time”

“Our local green spaces really matter to residents and visitors. They make a major contribution to health and wellbeing”

“This award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining Wapley Bushes to such a high standard - the real credit goes to our hard-working volunteers, and to Dodington Parish Council for their unfailing practical and financial help”

"Our reserve is a mixture of flower-rich meadows, ancient woodland and younger plantations. We work closely with South Gloucestershire Council and the Southwold Group of the Wildlife Trust, who provide us with very valuable advice"

The next work morning on the Reserve will be Sunday 8 September, meeting at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am. Extra volunteers would be very welcome – please contact Paul Hulbert on 01454 315851 for more details, or just turn up.