It's national Love Parks Week this week and with green spaces offering so many people a lifeline during the Covid lockdowns, the District Council is calling on visitors to help keep them special places.

A survey by Natural England in May 2020 revealed that nine in ten people agreed that natural spaces are good for health and wellbeing. But the pressure on parks has been huge - on average an extra 57 tonnes of litter was collected by local councils during the first lockdown.

So, as the school holidays get underway, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is joining Keep Britain Tidy in a rallying call to love, respect and protect our parks throughout this summer and beyond.

Councillor Mark Deaville, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Leisure and Sports, said: "I have loved public parks since I was a child - I love the greenery, the solitude, the atmosphere and the happy sounds of family and friends getting together.

"Here is the Moorlands we're lucky to have a wealth of beautiful parks and open spaces that are open for everyone to enjoy.

"It's something that has been more important than ever as the impact on Covid kept us all closer to our homes. Having quality areas to exercise, relax and just spend time amongst nature in has made all the difference.

"Love Parks Week is the ideal time to celebrate that and say thank you to our hard working Council teams and the Friends and volunteers who dedicate themselves to caring for them not just this week but all year round.

"We can all do our bit to help support their efforts by respecting and protecting the places we love. Let's keep these places special by being considerate to others, putting litter in the bins or taking it home to dispose off and clearing up after our dogs not just this summer but every time we visit."

Find out more about the Moorlands parks and open spaces at the district council's website.