Marple Memorial Park and Bramhall Park are two of 70 parks and green spaces from across the UK which have achieved “Local Favourite” status in the Fields in Trust UU Favourite Parks 2022 awards.
The status reflects the immense value placed on the park by its local community.
Local Favourites status is reserved for parks placed in the top 20% of all votes across the UK and over 30,000 voters supported 364 nominated parks and green spaces throughout the UK.
To celebrate this prestigious award, an award ceremony was held at Marple Memorial Park to thank and acknowledge those who work tirelessly to maintain these much-loved Stockport green spaces.
Speaking of the awards, Cllr Grace Baynham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks and Leisure Services, said: “I am delighted that two of the council’s parks have received these awards. The awards are very well deserved and are a testament to the efforts of the council’s officers, it’s contractors and the local friends’ groups that have worked so hard to make these parks a wonderful asset for the people of the borough”.
Marple Memorial Park has just celebrated its 100-year anniversary. Dedicated to the memory of the fallen in the First World War after donation by the Carver family, the park has developed a range of facilities and has become the acknowledged centre of Marple.
The site now includes a library, a Scout and Guide centre, Senior Citizens Hall, a Clinic, Children’s play facilities, a large skate park and a bowling green, with its own war memorial pavilion.
The Friends of the Memorial Park are a highly respected and well-established group who maintain the gardens and do a wide variety of maintenance activities that add huge value to the park.
Bramhall Park has a rich history, and this magnificent park of woodland and trails is the ideal location for visitors to combine a stroll around the park with a visit to fascinating historic building.
Bramhall Park is a beautifully landscaped greenspace, with landscaping of the park beginning in the 1890s, when the ponds were created. It sits in the grounds of Bramall Hall, a 14th century timber framed hall that was the home to the Davenport family for a long period.
The park is home to a variety of wildlife. Its woodland and lakes provide an excellent environment for habitats to develop. The park benefits from an active Friends Group who assist with the maintenance of the park and help keep it looking at its best.
The UK’s Favourite Parks award is organised by green space charity, Fields in Trust, who for almost 100 years, have legally protected parks and green spaces ensuring they will always be available for future generations to enjoy.
