27 November 2025
The Green Flag Award is delighted to announce that the winner of the prestigious 'Best of the Best' award for UK Best Women and Girls Initiative 2025 is the project led by local partners at Forster Park.
The Green Flag Award is delighted to announce that the winner of the prestigious 'Best of the Best' award for UK Best Women and Girls Initiative 2025 is the project led by local partners at Forster Park.
This groundbreaking initiative was recognised for its powerful and proactive approach to addressing the national issue of park inclusivity and safety, demonstrating that park design must be led by the very users it intends to serve.
Addressing the exclusion crisis
Research consistently highlights a stark reality: park facilities are often designed for, and consequently dominated by, boys. National data indicates that a significant percentage of older girls feel unwelcome in public parks, a sentiment that was strongly echoed in Forster Park.
After local surveys revealed a concerning absence of older girls, a follow-up youth survey confirmed the findings: many girls reported a lack of suitable activities, and nearly a third did not feel safe in the space.
This urgency was heightened by the tragic death of local teacher Sabina Nessa in a nearby park. In response, the team immediately created a dialogue around safety, planting a tree in her memory and developing a Community Orchard, connecting memorial with positive action.
The innovation: A youth-led design group
The pivotal moment for the initiative was a workshop held in July 2024, which led to the formation of the Girls’ Design Group. This informal group, comprised of girls aged 11–16 and supported by the ‘Make Space for Girls’ movement, created a safe and inclusive space for girls to reclaim their park.
Their voices are now central to decision-making, ensuring that every park development evolves to meet their needs. This youth-led approach has already delivered measurable impact:
Physical Redesign: The Girls’ Design Group fed directly into the design of a new older children’s play area, securing £25,000 in funding from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL). Their input guaranteed thoughtful colour choices and layouts that encourage connection, belonging, and visibility.
Programme Investment: The group co-authored a successful funding bid, securing £20,000 for an 18-month programme of youth activities, which they are now helping to deliver as a key reference group.
Safer, Visible Spaces: Working with local stakeholders, the team utilised the Safer Parks Green Flag guidance, leading to practical management changes like cutting back tall vegetation to improve visibility along paths.
The success is evident: not only are more girls returning to the park, but their continued engagement (including designing a 'Here Come the Girls' logo and T-shirts) ensures the initiative remains relevant and effective.
Setting a national precedent
The Forster Park project has achieved local and borough-wide recognition, setting an inspiring example for inclusive design. Local elected representatives were swift to support the work, inviting the girls to visit the Council and present their findings.
Catford South Councillor, Natasha Burgess, praised the initiative:
"Your work on women and girls' safety and your proactive community engagement is amazing... The approach has become an exemplar right across the Borough... Councillor colleagues have been inspired to ask about how their parks and community spaces might improve their engagement with, and the safety of, girls and young women... You are trailblazers and crucially, you are already delivering the outcomes you set out to achieve.”
The project has inspired measurable change across the borough, with other park user groups and the Council integrating the findings into infrastructure tenders and management tools.
The Green Flag Award celebrates this project as a model of equity, demonstrating that when girls are empowered to lead, they create environments that are safer, more engaging, and more equitable for the entire community.
Congratulations to Forster Park and all the partners involved in this vital and transformative work!
