Enjoy Love Parks Week in Central Bedfordshire’s beautiful green spaces
Wednesday, 15 July 2026
We're celebrating Love Parks Week 2026, a chance for us to celebrate the incredible parks and green spaces we care for across Central Bedfordshire.
In the 2026 Green Flag Awards, Houghton Hall Park and Rushmere Country Park have once again earned the prestigious Green Flag status. This international award recognises well-managed parks and green spaces. Flitton Moor, Linslade Wood and Studham Common also received Green Flag Community Awards, highlighting the vital role of local volunteers in caring for these much-loved spaces.
We would also like to thank their partners Greensand Trust and Houghton Regis Town Council for their continued support in helping to secure Green Flag status, along with the dedicated volunteer Friends’ groups whose commitment helps these valued green spaces be maintained to a high standard, so they can continue to be enjoyed by residents and visitors.
The Green Flag Award, managed by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, is the benchmark for excellence in parks and green spaces. It recognises sites that are safe, welcoming, well-maintained, and sustainably managed. The scheme celebrates the efforts of staff and volunteers to ensure these spaces are accessible and enjoyable for all.
With over 1,000 hectares of countryside, 36 play areas, and two skate parks, Central Bedfordshire offers countless ways for residents to enjoy the outdoors. During Love Parks Week, we invite everyone to:
- explore award-winning countryside sites and enjoy play areas, from woodlands and wetlands to adventure play areas
- visit the Linslade Canal Festival on 25 July at Tiddenfoot Waterside Park for a day of family fun, nature activities, and water safety demonstrations
- get active outdoors with walking football, buggy fitness, or scenic circular walks
- discover local wildlife – look out for butterflies, beetles, and birds, or join a bug-themed event
- volunteer with a local group to help protect and enhance green spaces
- take part in the Summer of Play from 30 July at Dunstable Downs, transformed into a Sports Village with free, self-led outdoor activities including football, cricket, and tennis
- join a Parkrun – free, friendly 5K events take place every weekend across Central Bedfordshire
Councillor Tracey Wye, Executive Member for Countryside Sites, said:
Love Parks Week is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the fantastic parks, countryside sites and green spaces we have across Central Bedfordshire. We are incredibly proud that Houghton Hall Park and Rushmere Country Park have once again achieved Green Flag status, alongside the Green Flag Community Awards for Flitton Moor, Linslade Wood and Studham Common. These awards recognise the hard work and commitment of our staff, partners, volunteers and local communities who help keep these spaces thriving. Whether you enjoy walking, playing, exploring nature or simply spending time outdoors, I would encourage everyone to make the most of Love Parks Week and discover all that our beautiful green spaces have to offer.
Explore our wide range of parks, countryside sites and outdoor activities.