Hollingwood Hub Archives - Destination Chesterfield

Chesterfield’s green spaces shine with nine Green Flag Awards

17th July 2025

Chesterfield continues to prove its commitment to quality of life, community wellbeing, and environmental excellence, securing nine Green Flag Awards. These awards reinforce Chesterfield’s reputation as a family-friendly place to live in Derbyshire.

The prestigious Green Flag Awards, managed by Keep Britain Tidy, are the international benchmark for well-managed parks and green spaces. They recognise locations that are safe, welcoming, well-maintained, and environmentally sustainable. For families seeking fresh air, nature, and safe outdoor spaces, Chesterfield continues to deliver.

This year marks a record for Chesterfield. Stand Road Park received its first-ever Green Flag led by Chesterfield Borough Council and the Friends of Stand Road Park. Enhancements included reinstated footpaths, a restored wetland area, new planters, and bug hotels to support biodiversity. Looking ahead, the council plans to extend woodland trails, plant wildflowers, and continue its wetland restoration efforts.

Seven other parks retained their Green Flag status, including Queen’s Park, Holmebrook Valley Park, Poolsbrook Country Park, King George V Park in Staveley, Eastwood Park in Hasland, and Monkey Park. These spaces offer families and residents a wide range of outdoor experiences, from peaceful walks to active play.

Councillor Steve Lismore, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “We have some incredible parks and green spaces across our borough, and it is fantastic that we have been awarded a record number of Green Flags this year. Providing high-quality green spaces is key to supporting nature in our borough, but also helps promote health and wellbeing and contributes to ensuring that Chesterfield is a great place to live and raise a family.”

Adding to the borough’s success, Hollingwood Hub, home of the Chesterfield Canal Trust, celebrates its ninth consecutive Green Flag Award. The site features a beautiful garden, visitor centre, café, and access to canal-side activities, including boat trips and paddlesports. It’s a popular destination for families and visitors alike.

Jim Bower, who leads the Trust’s Gardening Team, said: “We are delighted to be awarded a Green Flag again. We get lots of appreciative comments from many members of the public.”

The Guardian includes Chesterfield in an article as one of the happiest places to live. Eurocell, in their 2024 study, highlight Chesterfield as the UK’s best town for access to green spaces. Its access to nature, strong community spirit, and investment in public spaces all contribute to this reputation. For families, the town offers a safe environment with numerous opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

The council’s Parks, Open Spaces and Play Delivery Plan outlines over £1 million in investment to enhance spaces. This long-term vision ensures that residents and visitors of all ages can enjoy safe, inclusive, and inspiring outdoor spaces.

Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, said: “Quality parks and green spaces like the Hub make the country a healthier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest. Crucially, Hollingwood Hub is a vital green space for communities in Chesterfield to enjoy nature, and it is a free and safe space for families to socialise.”

Destination Chesterfield Board Member, Ryan Wilkes, said: “If you’re looking to live in an area which blends a strong heritage with strong local amenities within easy reach, Chesterfield is a place that you’ll be proud to call home and that’s without mentioning the abundance of picturesque outdoor spaces on our doorstep!”

Whether it’s a peaceful walk through Queen’s Park, a family day out at Poolsbrook, or a canal-side coffee at Hollingwood Hub, Chesterfield’s green spaces are more than just parks; they’re places where people connect, relax, and thrive.

Multiple Green Flag Awards for Chesterfield parks and green spaces

20th July 2023

Chesterfield has been recognised for its excellent parks and green spaces with several Green Flag Awards.

King George V Park in Staveley is raising the flag for the first-time following improvements carried out over the last two years. Spaces including Eastwood Park, Queen’s Park, Holmebrook Valley Country Park, Poolsbrook Country Park and the gardens of Chesterfield and District Crematorium have all retained Green Flag status.

Hollingwood Hub, managed by Chesterfield Canal Trust has also received the prestigious award, marking the seventh year in a row in which the centre has recieved the accolade.

Councillor Jonathan Davies, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Green spaces are important for the whole community. They offer a place to socialise, support the health and wellbeing of our residents and help improve biodiversity.

“Winning six of these awards shows the quality of parks and outdoor facilities in our borough. These awards also recognise the hard work of our teams in keeping these spaces to a high standard.

“I’m especially pleased that we have received a Green Flag for King George V Park in Staveley as we have been focused on improving this park and creating better facilities for local residents.”

Rod Auton, Secretary of the Chesterfield Canal Trust, said “We are absolutely delighted to have received this award once more. We are so lucky to have a group of hard-working and reliable volunteers who look after the gardens at Hollingwood Hub throughout the year.

“We know their work is much admired by our thousands of visitors, both the regulars and those who happen upon this beautiful place by accident. I have lost count of the number of people I have seen taking selfies by our flower boat.”

Over the last two years King George V Park has benefitted from a lot of investment to ensure it is suitable for visitors of all ages. Improvements have been made to the bowling facilities, multi-use games area, and skate park. Funding through the Staveley Town Deal allowed for the installation of new play equipment and an outdoor gym.

Last year a new tree boulevard was planted to welcome visitors to the park and currently works are underway to improve the tennis courts in partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association.

Councillor Jonathan Davies added: “We are investing in parks and green spaces across the borough over the next five years, and one of our key aims is to further increase the number of parks with Green Flag awards.”

The Parks, Open Spaces and Play Delivery Plan (2023 to 2028), which was approved by Cabinet in February 2023, sets out Chesterfield Borough Council’s commitment to making sure local communities continue to have access to modern and well-maintained spaces for leisure and play, and to support people’s health and wellbeing.

It will lead to more than one million pounds being invested in parks and green spaces over the course of the five-year programme. Communities will benefit from 18 enhanced youth and play spaces, and also aims to double the number of its sites that are acknowledged by the Green Flag Award.

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for their management across the United Kingdom and around the world.

A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available here.