Volunteers of the Friday group at College Lake.
Three nature-loving volunteers have been given Lifetime Achievement Awards for more than 100 years' combined work helping rare birds, flowers and other wildlife.
Steve Grigson, Jan Legg and Phillip Pratt were honoured by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) at its 2023 Volunteer Awards.
The charity also presented eight Outstanding Contribution Awards and four group awards.
BBOWT volunteer Jan Legg at work.
Jan Legg has helped monitor birds at BBOWT nature reserves in Berkshire for nearly 50 years. Since 1967, he and other members of the Newbury Ringing Group have ringed approximately 250,000 birds of 114 species. Jan now monitors and looks after 32 nest boxes at BBOWT's Greenham Common reserve, 64 at the Trust's Snelsmore Common and more at other sites. This work is invaluable to the Trust to maintain precious habitat for rare and vulnerable ground-nesting birds such as nightjars, skylarks and Dartford warblers at Greenham, Crookham and Snelsmore commons.
Adrian Wallington, Berkshire Reserves Officer at BBOWT, said:
"Jan's experience and knowledge of birds, built up over the last 50 years, has been invaluable. That is why he has been involved, since 2009, in the ground-nesting bird and seasonal warden projects on Greenham, Crookham and Snelsmore. This award is very well deserved – thank you and congratulations."
Jan Legg said:
“I am very grateful to BBOWT staff for the permissions, help, advice, and assistance including contributions to the cost of bird food and the like over the years. I particularly enjoy interacting with the seasonal wardens who each year bring a fresh enthusiasm to monitoring on the reserves.”
BBOWT volunteer Steve Grigson
Steve Grigson has been volunteer reserve warden at BBOWT's Dry Sandford Pit reserve near Abingdon for more than 25 years. Along with his team, he has helped maintain habitat for solitary bees and wasps that nest in the limestone cliffs and orchids that bloom in the site's rare lime fenland marsh, as well as maintaining pathways, gates and steps.
Martyn Lane, BBOWT's Oxfordshire Land Manager, said:
"Steve has led work parties, been the eyes and ears of the reserve and maintained this special place. It's credit to him that this reserve is so popular with families and wildlife enthusiasts alike. I'd like to thank Steve for all his dedication, enthusiasm and hard work to make this place so special. Thank you ever so much Steve - it is appreciated by all at BBOWT."
Steve Grigson said:
“It is very heartening to see my 30 years of volunteering recognised.”
BBOWT volunteer Phillip Pratt
Phillip Pratt has dedicated more than 30 years of his life to helping the wildlife at one BBOWT reserve - Homefield Wood in Buckinghamshire. The jewel in his crown is having helped to increase the number of rare and beautiful military orchids at the site from just a handful in the 1990s to more than 1,000 today. Starting as an ordinary member of the volunteer work party, he worked his way up to become the volunteer warden in charge of work at the reserve.
Mark Vallance, BBOWT's Buckinghamshire Land Manager, said:
"Phillip is truly one of BBOWT's unsung heroes. He has been instrumental in organising and delivering targeted work and managing the chalk grassland, mainly to benefit the military orchid, and this work has been exceptionally successful. It's great to be able to recognise all of this hard work and commitment in this award - thanks so much Phillip."
Phillip Pratt said:
“It is very rewarding to be involved for many years with wildlife sites such as Homefield Wood, and to work with knowledgeable and committed people, both staff and fellow volunteers. I am grateful to BBOWT for these ongoing opportunities.”
BBOWT volunteer Brian Crathorne
Brian Crathorne volunteers with the Berkshire Mid-week Team, the East Berkshire Field Team and the Reserves Surveying Programme, giving several days each week to BBOWT. His skills have also helped with the installation of several gate posts around the county this year.
BBOWT volunteer Simon Cousins
Simon Cousins is another key part of the reserves surveying team and has been monitoring birdlife at Chimney Meadows nature reserve in West Oxfordshire since 2019. In particular he has helped to gather important data about the curlews there. He also volunteers with the Friends of Chimney Meadows group.
BBOWT volunteer Phil Dyson
Phil Dyson is volunteer warden at Cholsey Marsh near Wallingford, co-ordinates the site’s stock watchers and is part of the Oxfordshire Field team. He’s also a trained chainsaw and tractor operator, which sometimes proves extremely useful.
BBOWT volunteer Steve Hawkins
Steve Hawkins started volunteering as a stock watcher, then joined the Chilterns Group committee back in 2008. He has helped organise events including the guided walks programme and has been totally responsible for arranging illustrated talks held in Great Missenden which raise funds for BBOWT and engage local people.
BBOWT volunteer Richard Newton
Richard Newton leads the volunteers at Chilswell Valley, an Oxford City Council site which is cared for by the BBOWT group. Richard is instrumental in leading the work and inspiring everyone with his experience, skills and newsletters.
BBOWT volunteer Sylvia O'Brien
Sylvia O'Brien has had many volunteering roles at BBOWT over the last decade, including using her broad range of identification skills with the Reserves Surveying Programme, helping to develop and manage the Wildlife Garden Team at BBOWT's College Lake reserve in Buckinghamshire, and as a longstanding member of the nearby Pitstone Fen work party.
BBOWT volunteer Kathy Warden
Kathy Warden leads a BBOWT volunteer group at the Trust's Parsonage Moor reserve near Abingdon. She is also part of the Friends of Chimney Meadows group, is a stock watcher and helps survey for the ecology team.
BBOWT volunteer Nigel Williamson
Nigel Williamson regularly joins and leads volunteer groups three or four times a week. He’s part of the West Berkshire Field Team, leads BBOWT's hedge-laying volunteers in the area, leads the Padworth Common volunteer group, counts the cattle at Greenham Common, volunteers with the West Berkshire Living Landscape volunteers and helps the Snelsmore Common scrub bashers.
Some of the volunteers of BBOWT's Chilterns Group.
The Chilterns Group Events Team is now made up of more than 30 volunteers. Their regular plant and produce market has raised a whopping £22,000 for BBOWT over the years and all the events they organise or attend help to publicise the Trust to new and old supporters in the Chilterns as well as raising vital funds.
Volunteers of the Friday group at College Lake.
This year has seen various changes at College Lake but the Friday Work Party have continued their efficient habitat management work at a high standard with minimal guidance and supervision, keeping the site in top condition for wildlife and people.
Nature lovers at BBOWT's Wild Connections social club for adults. Picture: Gill Marshall
Last year three established BBOWT volunteers set up a new nature-themed social club for adults at the Trust's Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre, and called it Wild Connections. The trio now host meet-ups every month, helping bring new visitors to the site, promote the Trust and creating a new way for local people to spend valuable time in nature.
Volunteers from BBOWT's Snelsmore scrub bashers
The Snelsmore Scrub Bashers contribute to the habitat management and overall upkeep of Snelsmore Common in West Berkshire. This year was one of the best years yet for nightjars on the reserve and the return of Dartford warblers was proof of the hard work the team puts in month after month.
BBOWT now has more than 1,700 volunteers across the three counties and would not be able to do its work without them. Volunteers help with every part of the Trust’s work from scrub bashing, stock-watching and bird-ringing at nature reserves, to helping run Nature Tots events and staffing reception at the charity’s headquarters in Oxford.
BBOWT is extremely grateful to all of its volunteers for the fantastic contributions they make that help the Trust to create more wildlife everywhere for everyone. Find out more about BBOWT’s volunteers and the latest vacancies at bbowt.org.uk/volunteer
