At the meeting of the Council on 8 March 2021, the Mayor, Councillor Bob Hull, made his 2021 Environment Award to the community organisation Hexham Space for Nature, part of Transition Tynedale, in recognition of their work in raising awareness of the importance of wildlife and nature in the green spaces of Hexham. Volunteers had planted wildflowers on the West Road entrance to the town in cooperation with the Town Council as well as planting wildflowers around the edge of The Sele.
The Mayor’s presentation in making this award can be seen below:
“Last November for the first time, again belatedly, I was able to make my Mayor’s inaugural Environment Award for 2020 to Matthias Winter for the contribution that business had made to improving the environmental sustainability of the town, a subject close to my heart.
I would like this evening to make the second of these awards which again I would have preferred to do in person at the Annual Mayor’s Reception. Circumstances as we know continue to prevent gatherings of this sort.
This award for 2021 goes to Hexham Space for Nature, part of Transition Tynedale, whose expert volunteers have worked with both the Town Council and indeed the County Council to try to make Hexham’s residents more aware of the importance of wildlife and nature for the town’s open spaces and gardens and including the Sele and the Abbey Grounds. In the case of the Sele volunteers have planted wild flower plugs along its edges and we should see more evidence of their labours very soon. In addition they have worked with the Town Council on the road verges on the West Road leading into the town with the aim of making a wild flower haven and display and reducing the cutting of those verges. Again volunteers last year planted wild flower plugs to enhance that entrance to the town. Currently Hexham Space for Nature is also looking at possibilities for actions in relation to our award winning Cemetery. All of this is in line with the recommendations in the Hexham Neighbourhood Plan.
I am delighted therefore to make this Award and to thank Hexham Space for Nature’s volunteers for their work to improve the biodiversity credential of the town in the years ahead. Andy Lees who is one of the key volunteers is with us tonight and I hope to be able to present him with the Award certificate later this week.”
