Blackpool Council have announced that Kingscote Park has been awarded the internationally recognised Green Flag Award. The award recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark for both staff and community standards.

The club has worked consistently with The Friends of Kingscote Park, Blackpool Council and Enveco (the council Parks contractor) over a number of years to help improve the overall standard and quality of the park.

Chairman Simon Hornby commented “I am delighted that the hard work of local volunteers from our community alongside the council  has resulted in this award. Traditionally Rugby League clubs have always been embedded in their communities and this awards shows we are truly engaged with our community, even though we sit outside traditional rugby league areas, and  offering much more than our sport to our community. ”

Kath Benson, Layton Ward Councillor, said of our involvement in achieving the award “I see the work we do on the park very much as a partnership and [Blackpool Stanley’s] involvement and support has more than contributed to the award”.

Simon commented further, “When we moved to the park in 2011 there was a derelict building and no sports pitches and only cut pathways through meadow grass with plenty of flooding in times of heavy or prolonged rain. What we see now is significantly different as a result of our community coming together and making a difference, often with little funding but always plenty of enthusiasm and commitment.

We now have an established rugby pitch and plans for a second pitch in development and a clubhouse hosting not just rugby league but many community driven clubs as well.

Over the years we have raised the money and purchased ground equipment including two tractors that we have used to open up the park not just for ourselves but the wider community, allowing more families to enjoy the park. We have stepped in when council budgets have been challenging and arguably now cut more grass on Blackpool’s second biggest park than anybody else.

There have been a number of club volunteers who have helped throughout this time but special mention should go to Birchie who has put hours in preparing the pitch and cutting back / opening up additional areas for everyone.

Our thanks should also go to the local policing team who, with the help of CCTV and our support, have helped reduce ASB on the park. A much improved park with more community use”.

Details of how to help with community projects at the park can be provided by any of the club officials.