Volunteer group wins prestigious award

VOLUNTEER group  Friends of Spud Wood, from Lymm has won a prestigious Volunteer of the Year award from the Woodland Trust.
The group was recognised with the charity’s Willow Award at the charity’s annual awards ceremony and lunch.
Woodland Trust president Beccy Speight made the presentation and the group was nominated for the award by Neil Oxley.
The Friends were set up to support the Trust in Spud Wood, off Oughtrington Lnae,  in 2010.  The group has helped with coppicing along paths and carrying out visitor surveys. Over recent years they have delivered a bat walk and an ecological survey with local schoolchildren.  In 2014 they started to thin the wood which helps let light in and promotes a diverse range of species.
In a statement, the Friends said:  “The FoSW are very pleased to have the support and encouragement of The Woodland Trust as the work we do is very close to their hearts. We really appreciate the recognition of our efforts but  would willingly keep on doing what we are doing regardless.”
Neil Oxley said:  “ I  am very pleased that the friends group have won this award. They are a great help to me in managing Spud Wood and it is nice that all their hard work has been recognised.”
Each year the Woodland Trust gives awards to the most outstanding volunteers for their talent and dedication. Winners are selected from over 2,000 volunteers all over the UK, who in 2016 dedicated over 205,000 hours of their time.
To find out how to become a volunteer for the Woodland Trust, visit  www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/volunteer.