CONSERVATION volunteers who have given hundreds of years to helping local wildlife have been honoured with lifetime achievement and outstanding contribution awards.

The unpaid but dedicated workers have been recognised by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) for decades of work they have put in at the charity's nature reserves across the three counties.

The Trust gave accolades to 13 individuals and five groups at its annual Volunteer Awards.

BBOWT Chief Executive Estelle Bailey said:
"At BBOWT we currently have about 150 staff, but we have more than 1,500 volunteers on our roster, and the work we do would be impossible without them. Volunteers at BBOWT do an incredible range of jobs from meeting and greeting at our visitor centres to teaching children at our education events and helping us with hands-on practical conservation at our 80+ nature reserves.

“Many of them have been with the Trust for decades and have invaluable experience and insight. Our Volunteer Awards give us an extra chance each year to shout about the fantastic work that all of them do and tell the world how enormously grateful we are."

Lifetime Achievement Awards

Richard and Julie Birch have been active and influential members of BBOWT's Chilterns volunteer group for 20 years. Mr Birch used his marketing and business experience to grow the group while his wife took over management of the newsletter and moved it online. The Trust's volunteer warden Mick Jones, who nominated the couple, said their years of hard work made them 'the embodiment of BBOWT in our part of the three counties'. Mr Birch commented: “As active conservation work becomes less of a pleasure, there are so many other activities to keep one occupied, making a useful contribution and seeing one's BBOWT friends -  like organising events, meeting and greeting and doing publicity.”

Ched George has been a volunteer at BBOWT since 2014, when he helped the Trust to acquire its Yoesden Bank nature reserve - a 13-hectare site of precious chalk grassland in the Chiltern Hills. He took the role of volunteer warden and helped organise regular conservation work parties and ecological surveys. Buckinghamshire Land Manager Mark Vallance, who nominated him for the award, said 'the legacy of all those years of dedication are clear to see in the rich flora and insect life at Yoesden'. Mr George said: “It has been a privilege to be BBOWT’s first volunteer warden of Yoesden Bank, and it is wonderful to be recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Richard Herbert has been volunteering with BBOWT since 1984. For most of that time he has been a core member of the Sunday work party at the Trust's Bowdown Woods reserve near Newbury, led guided walks around the site and given countless talks to local groups and societies. Senior Ecologist Colin Williams, who nominated Mr Herbert, said: "It's fantastic news that Richard has received a lifetime achievement award and it is richly deserved." Mr Herbert added: “Having completed 38 rewarding years as a BBOWT volunteer conservationist, I am honoured and delighted to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Ken Thompson has been a fundamental part of the team at BBOWT's College Lake nature reserve near Tring for 32 years, during which time it has been transformed from a working quarry into a wildlife haven. He recently decided to leave the area, bringing his time with the Trust to an end. Reserve Officer Leo Keedy, who nominated Mr Thompson, said: “Ken is a person with immense commitment, a huge knowledge of the site and a willingness and enthusiasm to get done whatever jobs needed doing. It's been an absolute pleasure working with you Ken, and I think I speak for everyone at College Lake when I say it won't be the same without you. Thank you." Mr Thompson said: “My 32 years of volunteering with BBOWT has always been a great pleasure, particularly as the staff and volunteers work together so well.”

David Litchfield has dedicated 15 years to volunteering at BBOWT's Warburg Nature Reserve near Henley in South Oxfordshire. As well as helping with practical conservation work such as scything and teaching other volunteers a host of skills including tool maintenance, Mr Litchfield has also run ecological surveys on the site and passed on his wealth of knowledge to others. Reserve Warden Kelly Hedges said: "The knowledge and skills that you have brought to the team have been invaluable. From everyone here at Warburg, thank you very much for all your dedication over the past 15 years." Mr Litchfield said: “Working outdoors for the good of the natural world and good for personal mental and physical health.”

Outstanding Contribution (Individuals)