Our Roadmap to 2030An allotment in Solihull which has served the local community for almost 50 years has become the first in the borough to win a prestigious Green Flag Community Award.
Dickens Heath Allotment first opened in February 1978 and has evolved to become a vibrant community space with more than 80 members and 40 plots.
Members come from Dickens Heath, Monkspath, Shirley and beyond to sustainably produce a variety of fruit and vegetables, and have recently added new English heritage apple trees to help protect the variety from dying out.
It has even become a sanctuary for rehabilitated hedgehogs who have been released back into the wild as part of a link-up with Solihogs Rescue Centre and Solihull Council.
Now the much-loved site has been recognised by The Green Flag Award, becoming the first allotment in the borough to win the mark of quality for well-managed parks and green spaces.
It has been crowned a winner in the inaugural Green Flag Community Award, which recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups, whilst 17 existing Green Flag Award sites in Solihull have also retained their status.
Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, Cllr Ken Hawkins, said:
“This award is fantastic news and testament to Dickens Heath Allotment Association and the members who have invested so much time and care into it over the years.
I am also delighted to see Solihull retain all other 17 Green Flag Awards, and I would like to congratulate all of the council staff, our Strategic Environment Contract partner Veolia, Friends of Park groups, and volunteers who have worked so hard to make this possible.“
Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said:
“Dickens Heath Allotment is a vital green space for communities to enjoy nature. It also provides important opportunities for local people to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”
The 18 Green Flag sites in Solihull are:
- Babb’s Mill Recreation Ground & Local Nature Reserve
- Bentley Heath Recreation Ground
- Damson Lane Park
- Dickens Heath Allotment
- Dorridge Park & Wood
- Elmdon Park
- Hillfield Park & Local Nature Reserve
- Hope Coppice
- Knowle Park
- Lavender Hall Park
- Malvern and Brueton Park
- Meriden Park
- Olton Jubilee Park
- Palmers Rough Recreation Ground
- Robin Hood Cemetery
- Shirley Park
- Tudor Grange Park
- Woodlands Cemetery
The Green Flag Award scheme is managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the world.
For more information contact the press office on press@solihull.gov.uk or
0121 704 6136.
- (l-r) Cllr Ken Hawkins, Vinod Hallan, Lewis Hayden (Veolia), Sue Glover, Barry Lowe (Solihull Council), Michael Stott, Sue Littleford and Shameena Howles (Solihull Council)
