Flying The Green Flag For Yorkshire

Selby Canal has earned the prestigious Green Flag Award, which recognises the picturesque waterway as a well-managed green space.

Spanning nearly six miles, Selby Canal is owned and managed by waterways and wellbeing charity Canal & River Trust. The award means Yorkshire now has over 92 miles of canals covered by the environmental gold standard.

Lucy Dockray, volunteer leader at Canal & River Trust, applied for the award on behalf of the charity. She said:
“We were absolutely delighted to receive this recognition. Selby Canal is one of the most attractive waterways on our network and is a popular spot for walking, with its plentiful and diverse wildlife and some truly picturesque views.

“We have a brilliant team of staff and volunteers who all work hard to maintain and improve the canal and towpath, so this award recognises the work they do.

“We know that spending time by water is good for health and wellbeing and we have seen record numbers of people enjoying Selby Canal as a place to exercise, take a breath of fresh air, and find a moment of peace during the pandemic.”

The Trust organises a regular Towpath Taskforce, with volunteers carrying out a variety of maintenance, tidying and improvement work to make the canal more enjoyable for all users.

Selby Canal also boasts a diverse range of wildlife, and is home to a population of Tansy Beetles, a nationally scarce species only found along the River Ouse and in the east Anglian fens.

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.

The Trust now has just over 92 miles of waterway in Yorkshire and the North East covered by Green Flag awards. It includes 32 miles of the Chesterfield Canal, all nine and a half miles of the Pocklington Canal, two and a half miles of Ripon Canal and 41 miles of Leeds & Liverpool Canal. Added to this, a half mile stretch of the Trust’s Tees Barrage was also awarded a Green Flag this week.

Commenting on our success, Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said:
“This year, more than ever, our parks and green spaces have been a lifeline and we know that millions of people have used them to relax, meet friends, exercise or simply escape for a short time.

“It is testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of staff and volunteers that, despite the challenges that went along with record numbers of visitors, the Canal & River Trust has achieved the highest international standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”

For more information about the Canal & River Trust, including how you can volunteer or support the charity, visit canalrivertrust.org.uk

The Selby Towpath Taskforce runs every other Tuesday and on the third Saturday of each month. To find out more, go to www.canalriverturst.org.uk/volunteer