charity Archives - Jubilee Gardens Trust

15 July 202512 December 2025

Jubilee Gardens achieves Green Flag Award for fifth year running

Jubilee Gardens celebrates Green Flag Award 2025 win

Jubilee Gardens on London’s South Bank has once again been recognised as one of the country’s best parks, after receiving the coveted Green Flag Award for the fifth year in a row.

The international quality mark for parks and green spaces celebrates the very best public spaces in the UK and around the world. This recognition reflects the continued hard work and dedication of everyone involved in caring for Jubilee Gardens – from the Jubilee Gardens Trust, the local charity responsible for the site, to the management and maintenance teams who keep it looking its best every day.

Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, said:

“Congratulations to everyone involved in Jubilee Gardens who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it achieves the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.

“Quality parks and green spaces like Jubilee Gardens make the country a healthier place to live and work, and a stronger place to invest.

“Crucially, Jubilee Gardens is a vital green space for communities on London’s South Bank to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it remains a free and safe place for families to socialise – offering real physical and mental health benefits.”

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark for quality across the UK and internationally.

Jubilee Gardens Trust is proud to receive this accolade for the fifth consecutive year – a reflection of the ongoing commitment to keep this much-loved green space beautiful, safe and welcoming for all.

A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available here. Find out about the history of Jubilee Gardens and the Jubilee Gardens Trust which manages the space on London’s South Bank.

23 April 202512 December 2025

New native holly hedge for Jubilee Gardens to support local wildlife

An exciting new project at Jubilee Gardens has brought a wave of greenery and biodiversity to the area with the planting of 300 holly plants (Ilex aquifolium), forming a beautiful, native hedge. The project, which is aimed at supporting local wildlife, was made possible with the generous sponsorship of PPHE Hotel Group, who own, manage and operate the Park Plaza and art’otel brands.

This dense, evergreen hedge is not only a stunning addition to the gardens but also serves a vital role in providing shelter and food sources for local wildlife. The thick, spiny leaves of the holly create a safe haven for birds, offering shelter and protection, especially through the harsh winter months. Additionally, the bright red berries produced by the holly plants offer a much-needed food source for birds, while the leaves also act as a larval food source for several butterfly and moth species, including the beautiful Holly Blue butterfly.

The flowers on the female holly plants are also a key attractor for pollinators, helping to foster a thriving ecosystem within Jubilee Gardens.

The hedge, which covers an impressive 100 square meters, replaces a large area of box hedge that had previously succumbed to box blight, a destructive disease affecting box plants nationwide. The new holly hedge is not only a hardier and longer-lasting alternative but also an environmentally friendly solution, enhancing the natural beauty of the area while supporting local wildlife.

Ted Inman, Chair of Jubilee Gardens Trust, commented: ‘As a local charity, Jubilee Gardens Trust really appreciate the support of its neighbours and we are immensely grateful to PPHE Hotel Group for entering into this sponsorship. This new holly hedge is not just an enhancement to the Gardens but also a critical addition to the local environment, supporting biodiversity and providing a refuge for wildlife. The importance of accessible green spaces in urban areas cannot be overstated—Jubilee Gardens lies in an area with 63% less green space than the London average, making it a vital resource for local residents, employees, and visitors alike.’

Daniel Pedreschi, Executive VP Operations, PPHE Hotel Group, commented ‘We were delighted to enter into this sponsorship. Jubilee Gardens is an important open space close to our popular hotels on the South Bank and a great facility for our visitors and staff. We welcome our involvement with Jubilee Gardens Trust and this opportunity to enhance the attractiveness and biodiversity of the South Bank neighbourhood, a very important area for our hotel operations.

The introduction of the holly hedge is part of an ongoing commitment to promote sustainability, enhance biodiversity, and provide accessible green spaces for the community. Visitors to Jubilee Gardens can now enjoy not only the visual appeal of the newly planted hedge now, and as it matures, but also the knowledge that it is playing an essential role in supporting and preserving local wildlife.

28 March 202512 December 2025

New Benches: A Fresh Look for Jubilee Gardens

Our brand-new benches are already getting plenty of attention, enjoying their first use under the glorious sunshine this week!

Thanks to the generous support of the Veolia Environmental Trust with a grant of £16,447 through the Landfill Communities Fund, we’ve replaced all 10 of our old benches with durable, sustainable teak. This hardwood is not only built to withstand the test of time but will grow more beautiful as it ages, adding charm and character to the Gardens for many years to come.

The original benches, also funded by Veolia Environmental Trust, were installed in 2012 as part of a major relandscaping project. After 13 years of service and over 60 million visitors, these benches are still functional, but no longer ideal for the high traffic of Jubilee Gardens. We’re giving them a second life by donating them to local community and green spaces, where they’ll continue to be enjoyed.

Benches are a popular and heavily used feature of the Gardens, 47% of local residents, 57% of workers, and 54% of visitors choose to relax on them when they visit. The new benches have been thoughtfully designed to support accessibility, featuring sturdy arms to assist people when standing up, and are more comfortable than the informal granite seating found elsewhere. They have been strategically placed across all areas of the Gardens, so visitors never have to walk far to find a spot to rest. We’ve carefully repositioned some of the new benches to offer even better views across the Gardens and towards the London Eye, giving everyone a picturesque and relaxing spot to sit and enjoy the scenery.

15 June 202312 December 2025

Jubilee Gardens Summer Party

On a beautiful evening on 14 June, the Jubilee Gardens Trust held a summer garden party for local residents, businesses and supporters to highlight the work of the Trust, our exciting future developments and how to get involved in this vitally important green space at the heart of our South Bank community.

The Trustees were joined by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester, Florence Eshalomi MP, Leader of Lambeth Council Cllr Claire Holland, HM Deputy Lieutenant for Lambeth Christopher Wellbelove and Mayor of Lambeth Cllr Sarbaz Barznji as well as local residents and business representatives from the South Bank and Waterloo area.

Ted Inman, Chair of the Jubilee Gardens Trust opened the event, explaining the history of the site which was first opened as a park in 1977 by Queen Elizabeth II and re-landscaped in 2012 when the Queen visited again. Ted also talked about some of the upcoming projects to improve the Gardens including the much-anticipated expansion which will see the area increase by 40%.

Florence Eshalomi, Cllr Holland and The Duke of Gloucester all gave short speeches. They thanked the Trustees and grounds team for managing and maintaining such a vital, busy area and highlighted the importance of urban green spaces such as Jubilee Gardens.

A delicious lemon chiffon cake in the design of Jubilee Gardens, generously donated by Konditor, and music by Sandra and Paul added the finishing touches to a glorious warm sunny evening.

If you’d like to find out more about our future plans, sign up to our newsletter and we will make sure you are the first to know.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

12 October 202012 October 2020

Contactless donations launched in Jubilee Gardens

Some new and unusual friends have recently appeared in Jubilee Gardens to keep our resident grey squirrels company.

These new blue residents are guarding acorn-shaped contactless donation points where Garden visitors can make an instant £2 donation to help keep our green oasis looking beautiful all year round. The squirrels say thank you in their own inimitable way too.

Run by local charity the Jubilee Gardens Trust, in normal times the park is enjoyed by over seven million visitors every year. It is also the most used green space for residents and local workers in the area. With trees, plants and outdoor spaces being so essential to our health and well-being, donations will help maintain and enrich the Gardens for all the residents, workers, students and visitors who love our nature-filled sanctuary on the South Bank.

Blue squirrel sculpture sitting on contactless donation point in Jubilee Gardens

The unique and innovative squirrel donation posts were designed by interdisciplinary designer Lara Farnham who works across a broad spectrum of sectors; from public realm to high-end luxury, retail to exhibition, leisure and large-scale developments.

Lara said about her designs:

Portrait of designer Lara Farnham

‘I thought it would be nice to give something back when people donate. The squirrels cheekily ask you to tap to donate and thank you once you do it. Squirrels are playful, energetic and considered a little wise in some cultures; just right for the Gardens. When they glow in the darkness they are also reaching out to those walking by.’