Crafty kids learned new skills when they took part in a three-day event in a park which has just been awarded a Green Flag for the third year in succession.

St Stephen parish council ran the three-day Crafts in the Park event which was part of the national Love Parks Week Initiative.

Among the activities at Greenwood Park in Chiswell Green were clay modelling, making bead bracelets, decorating mini birdhouses, animal masks, butterfly and dinosaur shapes and making badges and keyrings. In addition there were traditional painting and colouring activies.

More than 60 children took part over the three days which were run voluntarily by Cllrs Wendy Berriman, Karen Hurford, Eileen Whittaker

and John Bell with help from a number of community volunteers.

Cllr Berriman commented: “We had children of all ages coming along to take part – they were able try out all sorts of crafts that they might not have done before and have something to take away with them.”

A charity bucket collection in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital was held over the three days and raised £107.

* Greenwood Park was praised as extremely good and well managed with a commitment to nature conservation when it received its third Green Flag alongside two other nearby sites, Bricket Wood Common and Hanstead Wood.

Cllr Mick Freeman, chairman of the parish council, said: “It’s great to receive the Green Flag Award once again and it confirms what the local residents already know - that Greenwood Park is one of the best parks in the country and has been for a number of years.

“The parish council and its staff put in a great deal of work to ensure the park meets the needs of the community and it is very gratifying to get the recognition with this national award.”