Green flag awards 2026

Three of Swale’s most popular parks have been named amongst the best green spaces in the world, having once again secured the internationally recognised Green Flag Award.

The awards guarantee that visitors will find safe, clean, and welcoming environments right on their doorstep.

By working closely with dedicated local volunteers and securing external grant funding, Swale Borough Council continues to deliver top-quality, free destinations for families to enjoy, ensuring excellent value for local people.

To earn the Green Flag, a park must meet the highest possible standards for cleanliness, community safety, inclusivity, and nature conservation.

The three award-winning spaces for 2026 are:

• Oare Gunpowder Works Country Park - won the award for an incredible 21st year in a row. The park also secured the Green Heritage Site Accreditation for how well it protects and promotes its unique local history.

• Milton Creek Country Park - claimed the award for the fifth consecutive year, highlighting the long-term commitment of local teams to keeping the space beautiful.

• Faversham Recreation Ground - secured its third award. The park continues to thrive following major upgrades funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund.

Cllr Dolley Wooster, Chair of the Environment Services and Climate Change Committee, said:

"These awards show just how lucky we are in Swale to have such beautiful and varied natural spaces available to everyone.

"They are a direct result of the hard work and commitment of our amazing local volunteers, who work alongside our green space officers to help these parks flourish.

"With the summer weather here, we want everyone to plan a free day out at one of these award-winning parks. You can learn about local history, get active, and enjoy nature right here in Swale.

"We want even more of our fantastic spaces to get this recognition, and we are already working hard to help the rare ecosystem at Barton’s Point fly the Green Flag next."

Graham Kirk, a volunteer at the Milton Creek Country Park, said:

“I think it’s fair to say that we all attach a great deal of importance to working at the country park as volunteers. Personally, it has become an integral part of my life in retirement and I value it greatly.

“We come together on a weekly basis - and on many occasions more frequently - to support the Park Ranger in the upkeep of the park.

“The work we do helps to maintain the park environment as a whole and in turn this benefits the community that uses it.

“I would say that the main benefits centre on the positive effects on our mental wellbeing from being involved in such a supportive group, and the level of physical exercise we get from the activities we undertake.

“We also get a lot from being able to contribute to any projects we take on. This might be as simple as voicing an idea or articulating a solution, or being able to use our own skills to complete a project satisfactorily. Everyone in the team has a part to play.

“On this occasion, the satisfaction has come from being able to retain the Green Flag status of the park.

“On the whole, working within the volunteers team is very rewarding and satisfying as you tend to see straight away that you have made a difference to the park, the wildlife that depends on it, and its users.”

Paul Todd MBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, said:

“Parks are essential public spaces that support our wellbeing, our communities and our economy.

“Yet for millions of people, particularly in the most deprived areas, local parks simply don’t feel safe or welcoming.

“With public services under pressure, investing in parks is not a luxury, it’s a practical, preventative solution and one of the most visible ways to improve people’s quality of life.

“Swale Borough Council and the dedicated volunteers have shown what can be achieved when parks are properly supported and managed.

“As we celebrate 30 years of the Green Flag Award, we want every community to have access to green spaces like this that are safe, welcoming and maintained to a high standard.

"Congratulations to everyone involved."

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.

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