WEYMOUTH and Portland’s glorious green spaces are to be celebrated.

Locals and visitors will be urged to go and explore the parks and gardens in the borough, most of which are looked after by the borough council working with voluntary groups.

The event is to mark national Civic Day on Saturday, June 17 and promoting civic pride.

The day, championed by the group Civic Voice, is an annual celebration which gives communities the chance to celebrate their local area. Last year there were more than 150 Civic Day events across the country.

Different events have been organised including an art workshop at Sandsfoot Gardens and teddy bears picnic at Radipole Park and Gardens.

Weymouth Civic Society suggested Weymouth and Portland Borough Council gets involved in Civic Day this year after praising the parks and open spaces team for its work maintaining the green spaces, despite dwindling budgets.

The parks and open space steam, all of the established Friends’ groups of the public gardens and the Mayor of Weymouth and Portland Kevin Brookes are supporting this initiative.

Pru Bollam, trustee of Weymouth Civic Society, said: “This celebratory event fits in well with our society’s aims to promote pride in our area not only in our historic buildings and modern developments but also in our borough’s environment as a whole. It is for everyone to explore and enjoy.”

A map has been produced that will be available free to the public at various outlets.

The gardens, trails and open spaces to be identified on the map include Sandsfoot Castle Gardens, Nothe Gardens, Weymouth Peace Garden, Alexandra Gardens, St John’s Terrace Garden, Greenhill Gardens, Lodmoor Country Park, Radipole Wood, Radipole Park and Gardens, Rodwell Trail, Chiswell Walled Garden, Victoria Gardens, Easton Gardens and the Governor’s Garden, Portland.

Before the day, a pop-up exhibition can be seen at the Haven Owners Lounge (old Weymouth TIC) on the seafront launching this Monday and running all week. There will be an exhibition in the the foyer of the Tesco store on Portland tomorrow and on June 16.