In July Heswall’s Dawstone Park was awarded green flag status. Now the Friends of the Park have celebrated by running the flag up the flagstaff.
The flag is symbolic of a great collective effort. Spaces like Dawstone are often taken for granted, but underpinning their beauty is a great deal of labour of love.
When the award was made, Paul Leidecker, Chairman of the Friends of Dawstone Park said: “This is a fantastic achievement for us all. We’ve had a lot of compliments about how the park is looking these days and more than 60 people have already signed up to volunteer and help us to maintain and encourage the community to use the space.”
Opened in 1931, Dawstone Park has a special place at the heart of Heswall, standing as it does between the Lower and Top villages, with far-reaching views over to the hills of North Wales.
In May of that year, just before the park opened, it was observed that, “no effort has been spared to retain the truly rural aspect of the situation, mainly to provide a rural sanctuary of seclusion for the elder people, in the midst of bricks and mortar, and also the provision of a small open space, free from danger, for the younger children to enjoy their pastimes.”
Thanks to the Friends that spirit remains strong in Dawstone Park today.
As the green flag fluttered in the breeze, Paul added, “We’re delighted to have been chosen to receive the Green Flag. Dawstone Park is a great public amenity, and well used. We hope that the families of Heswall will continue to enjoy it.”
With Dawstone achieving its prestigious status, Wirral now has 23 Green Flag parks and green spaces, up from 20 in 2015.
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