The City of London Corporation’s green spaces have cleaned up at this year’s Green Flag awards – winning the prestigious accolade for 15 of its sites across London and the South East.

The Corporation also won 12 Green Heritage Site Accreditation awards – more than any other UK organisation. It won the awards out of only 19 available to the capital’s sites.

The Green Flag Award is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in the UK. The awards are judged by an army of more than 700 green space experts, who visit sites and assess them against eight strict criteria, including horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability and community involvement.

Green Heritage Site accreditation is judged on the treatment of the site’s historic features and the standard of conservation.

Ian Luder, Chairman of the City Corporation’s Open Spaces committee, said:

“These awards are a reward for the skills, ability and effort of the staff and local groups who keep our sites in such fantastic condition for the many millions of people who visit them every year. They are a signal to our visitors that they are top quality sites - and for many people, the beating heart of their communities.”

Sue Ireland, Director of Open Spaces at the City of London Corporation, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that our green spaces have, once again, been recognised as some of the best run and well-loved open spaces in the country. This is thanks to the tremendous efforts of our staff and volunteers, who work together throughout the year to maintain and protect the areas for the nation to enjoy.”

Although perhaps best known for looking after the world’s leading business district in the heart of the capital - the City Corporation also looks after 11,000 acres of green space across London and south east England. Its green spaces attract over 23 million visits a year.

It manages some of London’s most iconic green spaces like Epping Forest and Hampstead Heath - and sites from West Ham Park in East London, right through to Highgate Wood and Queens Park in the North West, Burnham Beeches and Stoke Common in Buckinghamshire, the 7 'City Commons' in South London and Surrey - and over 200 parks, plazas and green churchyards in the Square Mile.