Bantock Park, East Park, West Park, Pendeford Mill Nature Reserve, Phoenix Park and Fowlers Park have all achieved the prestigious Green Flag Award, the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

It is the seventh year in a row that Bantock Park, East Park and West Park have retained their Green Flag status. Pendeford Mill Nature Reserve has kept its flag for a sixth year, Phoenix Park, has achieved the status for the past four years and Fowlers Park, which achieved the award last year has retained it for this.

Last summer a brand new play area opened at East Park with attractions including a splash pad, toddler zone with cradle swings and a trampoline, a junior zone with climbing walls and multi-play unit and a teenage area with pendulum swing and giant slides.

The play area was designed to be as inclusive as possible with ramped access for wheelchair users, hand grips and tactile play panels. Swings and spinning areas have been designed to allow children of all abilities and confidence levels to play alongside their friends.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for resident services, said: “What fabulous news! We are delighted that six of our brilliant beauty spots have retained their prestigious Green Flag status.

“We are very proud of all our parks in Wolverhampton, they are wonderful spaces for our residents and attract many visitors to the city. This summer marks the first year of the amazing transformation to the play area in East Park and I know it has brought a lot of fun and enjoyment to our local families.

“I want to thank all of our officers, volunteers and Friends groups for the hard work they put into looking after these award-winning beauty spots.

“There are many benefits to enjoying green spaces and I would encourage everyone to come and visit our parks and reserves to enjoy their beauty all year round.”

Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved with Wolverhampton’s parks and green spaces on achieving a Green Flag Award.

“These six sites are vital green spaces for communities to socialise, enjoy nature, for children to play safely, and they provide important opportunities for park users to improve their physical and mental health.

“We know that staff and volunteers work tirelessly to ensure that these beauty spots maintain the high standards of the Green Flag Award, everyone involved should feel extremely proud of their achievement. 

“It is important that our free to use spaces are maintained to the Green Flag Award standard, making them accessible for all members of the community while ensuring the environment is protected.”

East Park, situated off Hickman Avenue is around 45 acres in size and is popular with local residents due to children’s play areas, the cycle speedway track, play area, multi games courts, and football pitches. In August 2023, the new play area opened at the park.

Bantock Park is around 40 acres, comprised mostly of open space, which still retains its 'rural' character, with a variety of trees, including an edible hedgerow planted by the Friends of Bantock House Museum and Park, known as the Bantock Users Group (BUG), a nature trail and is home of the iconic Bantock House. Bantock Park also has a play area, football pitches, a pitch and putt course and visitors’ café.

West Park is around 45 acres, includes a beautiful lake and a stunning 
landscaped green space within a 10-minute walk of Wolverhampton city centre. The park is considered to be one of the best, unspoilt examples of a Victorian park left in England and is Wolverhampton's premier open space.

Pendeford Mill Nature Reserve is a site of valuable environmental and historical significance. The site covers almost 60 acres of naturally managed countryside and dates back to the 13th century. It provides a stable and protected habitat for wildlife on the fringe of an urban area.

Phoenix Park offers visitors outdoor fitness equipment, walking paths and wildlife interpretation panels, a wildflower meadow, children’s play area, seated amphitheatre and woodland area. There are also two ball courts, shelters and a woodland area. 

Fowlers Park has seen a range of improvements over the past few years. These have included tree planting to improve the variety of species and encourage a diversity of wildlife. Wildflower meadows have been created, along with improvements to the park lake, signage and disability access.