13 June 2016
Green Flag Award's longest serving volunteer receives MBE.
#GFA20
We are delighted that the Green Flag Award scheme's longest-serving volunteer judge, Chris Worman, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for voluntary services to the Green Flag Award Scheme and public parks.
Chris, who is also the Parks and Grounds Manager at Rugby Borough Council, has supported the Green Flag Award scheme for parks and green spaces since its launch in 1996.
In his two decades of volunteering he has given thousands of hours of his time, using his holidays, evenings and weekends, and judged more than 300 parks and green spaces across the UK - the average for judges over this period would be about 40.
The Green Flag Award scheme, which is managed by Keep Britain Tidy under license from the Department of Communities and Local Government, was set up to reverse the decline in UK parks and today more than 1,600 parks are flying the quality mark - many of them thanks to Chris's tireless efforts in promoting the scheme.
The scheme relies on the support of more than 800 volunteer judges who have helped to make the scheme the success it is today and Chris has trained and mentored more than 60 of them.
Green Flag Award Programme Manager Paul Todd said: "Chris is an inspirational figure whose passion for and commitment to providing everyone in this country with the best quality parks is tireless.
"He willingly carries out every request we make of him, visiting volunteer groups, local authorities, universities and private companies who aspire to achieve the Green Flag Award, willingly sharing his knowledge and providing advice and guidance."
Speaking about his MBE, Chris said: "It's quite an honour, both personally and professionally, and especially as I judged Buckingham Palace Gardens in 2012 to mark Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee, but it's not really about me.
"It's recognition for the Green Flag Award scheme itself, and an acknowledgement of the importance of our nation's public parks along with all the thousands of people involved in their management and maintenance."
