Wildlife charity scoops three national awards

Northumberland Wildlife Trust is delighted to have had a successful night at this year’s National Land Trust Awards ceremony.

The Weetslade Practical Conservation team scooped the Friends of/Community group Award for their work at Weetslade Country Park – a site managed by the wildlife charity on behalf of the Land Trust.

The group, many of whom have volunteered since 2006, have spent thousands of hours working on the former colliery site, and achieved so much in that time. Their enthusiasm, whether litter picking or getting ‘stuck in’ with big projects such as saltmarsh habitat restoration, the creation of four skylark breeding enclosures or the construction of access steps to the top of the site, is wonderful.

The amount of wildlife at Weetslade has significantly increased thanks to the team’s conservation efforts and team members have been rewarded by being the first to record new bird species attracted to the site.

“The Weetslade Practical Conservation team is an amazing group of practical conservation volunteers who have supported us for the past eighteen years. Their help is invaluable, and this award is so well deserved by each and every one of them.”

Lou Chapman: Northumberland Wildlife Trust Health and Safety and Volunteering Manager

Northumberlandia, the second Land Trust site managed by Northumberland Wildlife Trust, was named Community Site of the Year.

The one hundred feet high, quarter of a mile long landform sculpture in Cramlington, nicknamed The Lady of the North, opened to the public in October 2012, and attracts over 100,000 visitors each year.

Always popular with visitors, in the past two years, the site’s program of events and activities for people of all ages has tripled with everything from downloadable trails to storytelling afternoons, mindfulness sessions not to mention outdoor theatre events with The Handlebards (the Peddling Shakespeare: Cycling Theatre Company), returning year after year to perform to packed audiences.

In previous years, the Blagdon Lane site has secured Project of the Year Award for the installation of the new steps during the 2020 lockdown and the Best Economic Activity Award for its revamped visitor Centre.

The best accolade of the evening is the one awarded to Connor Grundy who was named Volunteer of the Year.

Connor has turned up in all weather over the past nine years, happy in the knowledge that his work as reserve warden is supporting the charity, making a difference to visitors’ experiences and most importantly, helping the site’s resident wildlife.

Diligent about filling the many bird feeders on the site, Connor has constructed bird boxes including an owl box which now has owls nesting in it, rescued trapped newts and safeguarded the site in times of storm damage.

Connor’s training, coupled with the practical skills gained through volunteering with the wildlife charity enabled him to start his own lawn-care business in Cramlington.

“I’m absolutely blown away with the three awards for Northumberlandia and Weetslade Country Park. The Trust is so lucky to have wonderful volunteers on both sites and without them, my job would be a lot more difficult.

“I am delighted that Connor received the Volunteer of the Year Award – his contribution goes above and beyond simply helping.  He goes the extra mile as standard and I know if I’m ever in need of an extra pair of hands, he’s first on site and the last to leave.”

Peter Ernst: Northumberland Wildlife Trust Reserves Officer responsible for the upkeep of Weetslade Country Park and Northumberlandia