One of the Vale's most loved green spaces has again received national recognition. Abbey Gardens in Abingdon has been awarded Green Flag status for the seventh year running. The prestigious Green Flag is a national award given to parks and green spaces across England and Wales by Keep Britain Tidy. Sites compete annually to be among the best green spaces in the country and need to demonstrate year-on-year improvement in order to retain the award. The Green Heritage Site Accreditation, sponsored by English Heritage, recognises achievements in managing sites with local or national historic importance. Abbey Gardens is owned and managed by Vale of White Horse District Council. Cllr Matthew Barber, said: “Abbey Gardens really is a lovely area to spend time and it’s a real credit to our parks and maintenance team that they keep it to such a high award standard.” International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme. All the flags flying this year are a testament to the efforts of the thousands of men and women, both staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.” The announcement of this year’s Award winners comes in the same week that thousands of people up and down the country are enjoying Love Parks Week (24 July to 2 August), an annual celebration of our country’s fantastic green spaces and the community groups that bring them to life. To get the most out of your local park this summer why not try one of the Love Parks activities available for just £1 – to find out more visit www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/loveparks