VOLUNTEERS in Leicester who work tirelessly to clear brambles, pull litter from rivers, make space for wildlife and tackle invasive weeds have been applauded for their efforts at an awards ceremony.
The Leicester Environmental Volunteers – made up of more than 1,000 people who join in with tasks across the city – were invited to a celebration event at Abbey Park (30 Sept), to say thank you for all their hard work.
The service was founded in 1995 and works with city council parks staff to help with the upkeep of more than 200 parks and open spaces across the city.
Volunteers use an online system to book themselves on to guided volunteering sessions led by city council environmental rangers, with all equipment provided. Typical sessions include coppicing and woodland management, removing invasive species from ponds, planting trees and running scything sessions to improve meadows and grasslands across the city.
Other sessions see volunteers taking to the water on bell boats or the Kingfisher barge to clear litter from the river and canal. They also take part in citizen science projects, helping to monitor and count wildlife.
In the past year alone, the Leicester Environmental Volunteers have contributed a total of 11,207 hours to improving the city’s open spaces. They have collected more than 38 tonnes of litter, managed nine grassland sites - some of which are ecologically sensitive - and planted more than 1,700 trees to contribute to the city council’s tree strategy.
Among the awards handed out at the ceremony were Best Attendance Award, for the highest number of volunteering hours by an individual; the A-Team Award for the most unstoppable pair who regularly work together, and the Repair Shop Award for the volunteer going above and beyond to repair broken tools. There was also a Long Service Award, in recognition of decades of effort.
Lesley Daniell, who won the Long Service Award, said: “I started volunteering back in 2005 when I retired from work. I'm very much interested in the environment, so the idea of doing conservation work and litter picking suited me. Everyone who volunteers are like-minded people, and I have learnt so much from them and the rangers.”
Cllr Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor responsible for parks, said: “I’m very proud of our parks and open spaces in Leicester, which are a fantastic resource for local people.
“This was a wonderful and very well-deserved celebration of the immense contribution of the Leicester Environmental Volunteers, who continue to dedicate time and energy to make Leicester a better place for people and wildlife. I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to all of the volunteers for the work they put in, and to the council staff who support them.”
Winners were presented with special gifts of hand-crafted, eco-friendly products such as bug hotels and bat boxes. Everyone attending was given a small but special eco gift to thank them for the invaluable part they play.
Leicester Environmental Volunteers have sessions running throughout the year and new volunteers are always welcome to join. To find out more, visit www.leicester.gov.uk/parks
ENDS