National Green Space Award for the Trentham Estate
The Trentham Estate has been named the UK’s ‘Green Space of the Year’ in the itravel Staycation Awards 2020/21.
The popular Staffordshire beauty spot was announced as the winner at a virtual ceremony hosted by BBC Countryfile presenter Sean Fletcher. Trentham, to the south of Stoke-on-Trent, was praised for providing a “natural refuge” during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2020/21 itravel Staycation Awards – supported by headline sponsor holidaycottages.co.uk – recognise the challenges, hard work and achievements of the UK travel industry during the pandemic. The awards celebrate the destinations people enjoyed most, or perhaps discovered for the first time in 2020. The Green Space category – which the Trentham Estate has won – is a new addition to the awards this year.
Readers of itravel were invited to nominate their favourite destinations, and more than 1,000 nominations and entries were received across the 14 award categories. The winners were chosen by a panel of 23 judges, from organisations including Ramblers, the Woodland Trust, and Sustrans.
Announcing Trentham Estate as the winner, a spokesman for itravel said: “The Green Space award recognises the places that have provided a natural refuge during the pandemic. Acknowledging the fact that many of us have spent more time than ever in our green spaces, it celebrates an opportunity for peace and quiet.
“Within the Trentham Estate’s 725 acres are accessible walks along the Capability Brown lake, wildlife sculptures, scented woodland shrubs and trees, carpets of spring-flowering bulbs, wetland birds, and ancient oak woodland that is being restored with Natural England. There are also play areas and activities for younger visitors, and autism and dementia-friendly access, as well as mindfulness walking trails.”
To win the award, Trentham was judged on its point of difference, Covid response, and commitment to sustainability, inclusivity and accessibility.
Alastair Budd, Director of the Trentham Estate, said: “We’re over the moon with this fantastic award. We’d like to say a big thank you to itravel, the judges, and everyone who nominated us.
“We know our Estate has been a haven for many during Covid-19. Our gardens, lake and woodland have played an important role in providing people with access to fresh air and outdoor space, to support their mental health and wellbeing.
“We’re immensely proud of the hard work and dedication of the entire team at Trentham throughout the pandemic. We’re also incredibly grateful for the support of our wonderful visitors, who have helped us to keep everyone safe by following the safety measures we introduced, including our bookable online time slots. And following the announcement that the lockdown easing has been delayed, we’ll continue with these measures until the rules change, to protect our visitors, local community and staff.”
Sophie Lam, itravel Editor, said: “This year in particular, we’ve been able to appreciate the wonderful tourism offering we have on our doorstep. As the sector gets going again, it’s looking like a good summer for holidays in the UK, but let’s not forget the hard work that has gone into welcoming visitors back during the pandemic.
“Our finalists have excelled at doing this warmly and safely, and they represent a dynamic and resilient industry. At i, we felt it was particularly important to acknowledge this, and to support the domestic tourism industry on its road to recovery. Our finalists have been chosen for their exceptional offering, including a commitment to inclusivity and sustainability, as well as welcoming visitors back safely.”
For further information about the Trentham Estate, visit: https://www.trentham.co.uk/
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