In May, inspectors from the Green Flag award scheme surveyed the whole of the Wom Brook Walk from Rushford Bridge, close to where the Brook enters Wombourne in the east, to where it leaves the village in the west, at the edge of Poolhouse.
This formed part of the annual inspection process, and it is hoped that the village should learn soon the result of that inspection.
(Members of the inspection team are photographed above.)
This afternoon at Wombourne Civic Centre, South Staffordshire District Councillor Joan Williams hosted a short civic ceremony to celebrate the award of Green Flag status to the Wom Brook Walk.
Pictured below holding the national award are South Staffordshire Council’s Landscape manager Howard Medlicott, and Chairman of the Friends of Wom Brook, Anita Ferguson.
What is the significance of this award to Wombourne?
Essentially it is a nationally recognised standard of excellence awarded by a panel of judges to selected parks and green spaces. These awards are not easy to obtain-this is Wombourne’s second attempt at achieving green flag status. The award is also a recognition of the effort invested by a wide team of people-from the South Staffordshire Council to those individual inhabitants of Wombourne who have no allegiance to any particular group, who regularly collect litter whilst out on their daily walk, or in the case of a small dedicated teenage section of the Friends of Wom Brook, regularly join the Friends Group for two hours once a month to remove rubbish from the Brook.
Thank you everyone for your efforts.
Below is an image of the spectacular and imposing Wom Brook Walk signpost greeting walkers on the South Staffordshire Railway Walk (aka the Kingswinford Railway Walk).
It marks the point where the Wom Brook Walk crosses over the Railway Walk. The above photo is taken facing south, with the left hand finger post pointing east towards Wombourne village centre, while the right hand finger points west towards the Giggetty section of the Wom Brook Walk.
Notice some of the considerable detail carved into the sign, which cannot all be included within the photo. The carvings represent aspects of Wombourne’s history-nail-making, and of course its agricultural roots. Perhaps appropriately an owl dominates the structure-an indication that wildlife is it the heart of the Wom Brook Walk and the Wom Brook.
Last year, the Wom Brook Walk applied for, but was unsuccessful in achieving Green Flag status. Hopefully this year with the work that has been undertaken by South Staffordshire Council in site improvements over the last twelve months, working with the local volunteer group, the Friends of Wom Brook, that goal will be more attainable.
Above is a photograph taken during last year’s inspection, in May 2008.
Today, Green Flag judges returned to Wombourne, to re-assess the extensive work that has taken place along the Wom Brook Walk over the last twelve months. The judges readily acknowledged that there had been many positive developments. Hopefully the results of the judging will be made known in July.
Click here to learn more about the Green Flag award
On Friday, South Staffordshire Council’s Landscape department placed new interpretation boards at both the start of the Wom Brook Walk, close to Rushford Bridge, and in the centre of the village (see photo above) close to the picnic benches at Gravel Hill.
This is part of the ongoing work being undertaken by South Staffordshire Council in pursuit of the Green Flag award, mentioned in past blog entries.
When completed, the boards will provide information on that particular section of the Brook, including details of flora and fauna indigenous to the Wom Brook. Included should be the elusive water vole-seen twice in the last fortnight!
Other boards are to be placed along the remainder of the route of the Brook as it passes from east to west through Wombourne.
Green Flag Award Preparation
Last week, the Friends of Wom Brook committee met with the South Staffordshire Council�__s Landscape manager. The possibility of the Council working in conjunction with the Friends Group, in pursuit of a national green spaces and parks award , namely to obtain Green Flag status, was discussed.
Why invest money, time and effort in pursuing this award?
This award, if achieved would have a similar status in some respects to the grading awarded to UK beaches in terms of cleanliness and water quality. In the case of the Wom Brook, and the Walk along its banks, obtaining such an award would elevate and bring to prominence the standing and recognition of our wildlife area nationally.
In turn this would enhance the overall reputation of Wombourne, and provide recognition for all the hard work invested by residents in their local environment over the years, supported in this work by both the Wombourne Parish Council and the South Staffordshire Council.
Should the Wom Brook gain the Green Flag Award (essential development work necessary to raise the standard of the Brook and its neighbouring environment to Green Flag eligibility status would probably take two years of work) , then it would provide evidence of strong community involvement and collaboration, increased awareness of conservation issues, and evidence of a willingness by local residents to engage in developments to improve their community.
Hopefully pursuance of the Green Flag Award will provide the impetus for the Friends of Wom Brook group, working closely with South Staffordshire Council, to pursue other environmental awards.
Link to Green Flag Award
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