York: Rowntree Park’s community project wins award

Friends of Rowntree Park set up its Make Space for Girls project in the summer, encouraging females aged 10-18 to use the park in South Bank.

The group works to maintain the park and said the project was set up in response to a drop off in park use by girls as they enter their teen years.

Friends of Rowntree Park set up its Make Space for Girls project in the summer (Image: Supplied)

“Our aim is to make Rowntree Park a place where girls can feel safe, confident and empowered to be themselves,” said the project’s lead Abigail Gaines.

“Every girl deserves access to public spaces and the opportunities they offer.

“Our events aim to inspire girls, expand their horizons, build supportive networks and try to change the fact that girls' use of parks drops as they get older."

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The Make Space for Girls project won one of the 10 Best of the Best awards in 2023, in the annual celebration operated by Green Flag Award.

The accolade rewards projects and people that have made a difference in some of the UK’s 2,216 parks with a Green Flag Award - the international quality standard for well managed green spaces by Keep Britain Tidy.

Green Flag award manager Paul Todd said: “To have achieved this recognition from the public is testament to the hard work going on in local green spaces, and we want to congratulate The Friends of Rowntree Park on their fantastic achievement.”

For more details about the awards and the winners, visit www.greenflagaward.org