Farmland Curlew Award Debuts at Great Yorkshire Show
A new award developed by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and Nidderdale AONB to reward farmers who are making a significant contribution to curlew conservation made its debut at the Great Yorkshire Show today.
The Farmland Curlew Award is made to winners from seven regions across the north of England and has been designed to acknowledge the hard work of farmers to protect curlew and to highlight and share best practice.
It was developed to ensure awareness of the need to protect the habitat of the curlew which is on the red list on the UK Conservation Status Report.
Matthew Trevelyan of Nidderdale AONB said: The curlew is undoubtedly a farmland bird, thriving where livestock farmers work hand in hand with nature.
“I’ve had the privilege of visiting the majority of the farms nominated for this award and have learnt from these farmers that there are countless actions we can take to help curlew, no matter the farm type.”
The overall winner was presented with their award by Simon Theakston, President of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, and the title went to Rebecca Dickens and Ian Bell of Hallbankgate, near Brampton in Cumbria who farm sheep and beef as well as working to improve environment for curlews on their land.
Emma said they were overwhelmed to win. “We just do it because we love it,” she said.
The regional winners were:
- Cumbria: George and Emma Taylor and their sons, Samuel, Charlie and Ben, from High Farm, Crook, near Kendal.
- East Yorkshire: Henrietta and John Fenton from Elmswell Farm near Driffield.
- Lancashire: Simon and Rachel Stott of Laund Farm, Chipping, near Preston.
- North Yorkshire: Gavin Clarke from Brimham Lodge Farm.
- Northumberland: Nick and Julie Howard from High Studdon in Allendale.
- South and West Yorkshire: Fiona and John Key from Garfield House Farm in Midhopestones.
- Tyne Tees: Andrew and Julie Robinson from Middle Farm in Holwick.
EDITOR’S NOTES
• The Great Yorkshire Show is England’s premier agricultural event, organised by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS), a registered charity supporting rural Yorkshire.
• YAS supports and promotes the farming industry through health care, business, education and scientific research.
• The Society is supported by its family of businesses including Fodder, Yorkshire Event Centre, Pavilions of Harrogate and the Harrogate Caravan Park as well as events Great Yorkshire Show and Springtime Live.
• Businesses and events held at the Great Yorkshire Showground in 2019 contributed £73.7 million to the economy.
CONTACT: Jo Francisco PR Manager
Mobile: 07954 007414
Email: jof@yas.co.uk
GYS23_Curlew Award Winners Ian Bell & Rebecca Dickens from Cumbria presented by YAS President Simon Theakston
