Work of Shropshire Council acknowledged for creating Queen Elizabeth II Fields status sites
Shropshire Council’s outdoor recreation team recently celebrated the success of their work on creating 23 sites to be dedicated with the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Fields status.
The sites, totalling an area of 210 acres, have now been protected thanks to the efforts of the team, who have worked alongside partners and community groups who have been so integral to the success of this programme.
As a result of the their hard work, Shropshire was shortlisted for an award at The Inaugral Fields in Trust Awards 2012, held on 29 November at Lord’s cricket ground in London. The team had put forward the highest number of sites, and were runners up in the Landowner of the Year Award.
The sites had been nominated as part of the Queen Elizabeth II Fields challenge, a national campaign to mark HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics in 2012. The national campaign aims to dedicate 2,012 recreational open spaces as Queen Elizabeth II Playing Fields by 2012 as a permanent living legacy of these landmark occasions.
The awards celebrated the hard work and achievements of those who have helped to make the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge such a success, and where all kinds of councils, Have a Field Day organisers and community volunteers will all be recognised and rewarded.
The flagship campaign is managed by Fields In Trust, an independent charity that works to protect and improve playing fields, and is led by the charity’s patron, HRH Prince William. The campaign aims to protect 2012 outdoor recreational spaces in communities all across the country.
Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for parks and open spaces, said:
“I am absolutely delighted that we have been acknowledged for our dedication and hard work. It has been a fantastic opportunity to be part of this high profile national campaign and build on the legacy of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games.
“Shropshire Council recognises the vital importance of greenspaces which bring both health, social and physical benefits to people of all ages. By designating the sites, we are demonstrating our commitment to outdoor recreational spaces by protecting them for the enjoyment of our local communities and future generations to come.”
