Leicester's Disability-Inclusive Park Team Wins National Keep Britain Tidy Award
A dedicated team from Leicester City Council, composed of adults with disabilities or additional support needs, has been honored with the prestigious Keep Britain Tidy Team of the Year award. The park services amenities team was recognized at a ceremony in Manchester for their outstanding contributions to maintaining and enhancing the city's green spaces.
Overcoming Challenges with Teamwork and Resilience
The team, which tackles tasks such as clearing fly tipping, weeding, digging allotment plots, and repairing fencing, was praised for consistently delivering exceptional service through strong teamwork and leadership. Judges described them as the standout nomination, emphasizing that their recognition was richly deserved.
Parks manager Victoria Hudson, who nominated the team, highlighted their resilience and positive attitude. "The members of this team have a range of complex medical and support needs, but that doesn't stop them coming to work every day with a smile," she said. "They show great empathy, always going the extra mile to support each other."
Embracing Monumental Change
This year, the team underwent significant transitions, including moving from their base of 15 years, transferring to the council's parks service, and expanding their work remit to cover all 190+ parks and green spaces in Leicester. Despite these challenges, they adapted by learning new bus routes and arriving early each day.
"The scale of change they have embraced and overcome this year is awe-inspiring," Hudson added. "Their work remit has expanded to include grounds maintenance, cleaning, improvement, and repair work tasks, and they have embraced it all."
Community Impact and Recognition
Assistant city mayor responsible for parks, Councillor Vi Dempster, commended the team's long-standing contributions. "This team has long made an outstanding contribution to our allotments in the city, digging over sites to prepare for new tenants and helping those who are unwell to maintain their plots," she said. "Since moving over to the parks service, they have started to undertake a huge array of tasks, and it's amazing how they have risen to the challenge."
The Keep Britain Tidy Network Conference and Awards bring together local authorities across England to recognize excellence in environmental work. With only three councils shortlisted from around 100 entries, the competition was fierce, making this win particularly special.
Personal Pride and Future Celebrations
Delighted amenities team manager Arron Barrett expressed his pride in the team's achievements. "This award means the world to the team. It recognizes not just the hard work they do, but the way they look after each other," he said. "They've faced change, pressure, and personal loss together, and through it all, they've stayed positive, professional, and proud of what they deliver for Leicester."
Keep Britain Tidy's chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, noted that the awards serve as a national showcase to celebrate ground-breaking achievements and environmental leadership. The team has been invited to an afternoon tea on March 11 to celebrate their success, joined by Councillor Dempster and the Lord Mayor of Leicester.
