Wild About Devon Awards 2023

Communities right across the county are taking action to restore and improve habitats for our wildlife. There are some fantastic projects and initiatives popping up all over the place but if we’re to address the Ecological Emergency, we need more! To encourage more communities to take action and celebrate their efforts, we hosted the Wild About Devon Awards 2023 on December 1st to celebrate those communities that are having a real impact in giving Devon’s wildlife a helping hand.

There were four award categories, with three winners in each:

  • Wildlife Parish & Town Council: Newton Poppleford and Harberton Parish Council, Dartington Parish Council and Yealmpton Parish Council.
  • Wildlife School of the Year: Appledore Primary school and The Dunsford Academy Trust.
  • Outstanding Individuals: Sarah Butcher, Ginnie Cox, Mary Truell, Tony Bennett, Jeremy Pyne, David Curry and Mark Williams – it was impossible to choose between them!
  • Community groups: The Habitat Group, The Cricketfield Community Garden and Moor Meadows.

Picture of speaker Proffessor Michael Winters addressing room full of nominees and winners at the Wild About Devon 2023 awards. Photo credits Kate Hind, DCC.

Speakers at the ceremony included John Walters a local naturalist, Coral Smith from Devon Wildlife Trust and Sarah Butcher Chair of the Devon Bat Group. The event was chaired by Professor Michael Winter, Chair of Devon Local Nature Partnership.

Also at the event instead of a red carpet, there was a fantastic mossy carpet from the Art and Energy Collective.

View of the colourful mossy carpet made out of wool, lying across the awards room floor. Photo credits kate Hind, DCC.           Michael Winter giving a talk at the Wild About Devon Awards 2023 with the certificates, audience, and colourful mossy carpet in view. Photo credits Kate Hind, DCC.           Zoomed out view of the colourful mossy carpet in the middle of the Wild About Devon Awards. Photo Credit Kate Hind, DCC.

Professor Michael Winter, chair of the Devon Local Nature Partnership said:

“This is the second time we’ve held an award ceremony for Wildlife Community of the Year. There are an incredible range of community projects and initiatives taking place across Devon. It was wonderful to meet some of the local people making action for wildlife happen – they are an inspiration to all of us to do our bit in our communities.”

We would like to thank those of you that came along to this year’s ceremony and made it so special. Thank you also to the speakers.