The University of Winchester has scooped a prestigious national award for the management of its outstanding green spaces.
Members of the University's grounds team, who maintain and develop the green spaces and gardens across three sites in the city, collected the Horticulture Week Custodian Award 2019 for Best Grounds at a ceremony at Woburn Abbey this week. Other winners from across the UK included teams from Historic Royal Palaces, the National Trust, the Eden Project and English Heritage.
Justin Ridgment, Director of Estates and Facilities Services, said: "Our small University grounds team manages green spaces across the University's quarters, which encompass academic facilities, student accommodation and a sports stadium. They work hard to create a peaceful, eye-catching and safe environment that is enjoyable for students and staff to work and study in and for our many visitors.
"I'm very proud that their outstanding achievements, and the important role they play in making our grounds and green spaces vibrant and a haven for wildlife, have been recognised with this national award."
The team is at the forefront of the University's commitment to improve the biodiversity of its estate. Its varied green spaces feature a mosaic of different habitats, including grassland, hedgerows, ponds and woodland. These are havens for wildlife, from nesting swifts and mining bees, to hedgehogs and the rare white helleborine orchid. There are also green roofs on The Stripe and St Alphege buildings, a green wall on the Performing Arts Centre, and wildlife ponds.
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