Nominations open for North Pennines conservation award

People who have made a difference to the conservation of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) can be nominated for a prestigious award this Autumn.

The North Pennines AONB Partnership has opened nominations for its annual Pendlebury Award, which recognises those who go the extra mile to look after the globally important North Pennines landscape. The award is open to groups and individuals involved in conservation in the area, or in helping people understand and enjoy nature and heritage. This year will be the seventh time the award has been given, inspired by the late Bob Pendlebury, the first chair of the North Pennines AONB Partnership. He was also a local councillor and a great campaigner for the area, promoting its beauty at every opportunity.

Chris Woodley-Stewart, Director of the North Pennines AONB Partnership, said: “Nature is in crisis, but there are many people who devote much time and energy to looking after the North Pennines’ landscape, wildlife and heritage, either in their working lives or in their spare time.

“The Pendlebury award is a way for the AONB Partnership to recognise some of those outstanding contributions and we are pleased to be seeking nominations for the award again this year. We also want to celebrate people who are doing great work for connecting people with nature and heritage, because unless people can experience these things they’ll be less likely to care for them.”

In 2021 the Pendlebury Award was won by Guy Broome. Guy, who lives in the Cumbrian North Pennines, has a depth of knowledge of nature which he readily shares with others. Guy is also an accomplished photographer capturing stunning images of nature especially butterflies and moths. Guy’s blog written for the North Pennines AONB Partnership’s Fellfoot Forward Landscape Partnership Scheme can be seen at https://northpennines.org.uk/field-notes-from-cumrew/.

Previous winners of the award include: botanist Dr Margaret Bradshaw OBE; Allen Valleys farmer Robert Philipson; Ian Forbes MBE, who ran Killhope, North of England Lead Mining Museum; and Chris and Heather McCarty who worked side-by-side at Natural England’s Moor House – Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve for many years.

Chris Woodley-Stewart added: “This year, we have lost previous winner Dave Liddle who was an exceptional advocate for the wildlife of the North Pennines, both in his private life and as a Ranger with Durham County Council’s Countryside Service. Dave made a lasting positive impact for nature and people and will be sadly missed.”

The AONB Partnership would like to hear from anyone who wants to make a nomination, by the closing date of Friday 18 November 2022. The winner of the award will be announced at the AONB Partnership’s Annual Forum online event on 1 December.

To find out more, or for a nomination form, contact Simon Wilson simon@northpenninesaonb.org.uk, 01388 528801, or visit northpennines.org.uk. Book for the North Pennines AONB Partnership’s Annual Forum at https://northpennines.org.uk/event/annual-forum-2022/

Header image: Robert Philipson presents Carol Inskipp with the Pendlebury Award in 2019