Published: 10/02/2025
Our Annual Celebration & Awards Evening is always a brilliant and inspiring event. We celebrated Parks Trust volunteers at the Chrysalis Theatre at Camphill on Friday 7 February 2025, it was a lovely evening enjoyed by all. The event featured delightful food and musical accompaniment from Alina Orchestra’s String Trio. We reflected on the achievements of 2024 and celebrated the significant contributions of our volunteers from across The Parks Trust.
In 2024 Parks Trust volunteers contributed over 11,000 volunteer hours, supporting The Trust in various roles, from leading walks and conservation work to wildlife surveying and assisting with outdoor learning and their support is invaluable to the charity, and our work across the city and we couldn’t do without volunteer support.
The annual awards evening celebrates all that our volunteers do. Our award winners from the night included awards for Volunteer of the Year and volunteering in areas of events, recreation, outdoor learning, biodiversity, and rangering. Find out more about this year's winner below.
We were pleased to present our Volunteer of the Year Award to Andrew White from Great Linford. Andrew joined as a volunteer through The Trust’s heritage work at Great Linford Manor Park, and his dedication has been remarkable. From laying woodchip paths to supporting our Outdoor Learning sessions, Andrew's contributions have always been outstanding. He also dons costumes for heritage days, regularly leads walks for the 5 Ways Café, and is a long-standing member of the Friends of Great Linford Manor Park committee. Andrew’s care and dedication to our green spaces and his advocacy for heritage make him a deserving Volunteer of the Year award winner.
Roy has supported various events in 2024 for the first time and the team has really appreciated his stoic approach. Helping on occasions such as the Marathon Water-stop, the Parkland Play, Apple picking and Apple Day.
Peter has been a volunteer for at least 18 years supporting Parks and Run for much of that time, sadly an injury meant running was getting more difficult however the advent of our new monthly Parks and Rides cycle events opened up a new opportunity for volunteering. As a keen cyclist Peter has put a huge effort into planning and recceing routes, leading events and supporting the many rides – he even got the secateurs out to ensure routes were clear for the cyclists.
Whether it is supporting Tree Tots sessions, Howe Park Wood open mornings, school sessions or adult and community sessions, Jane has been such great support for our Outdoor Learning Team. She always brings a smile, even when pond dipping in the rain!
Our Volunteer Ranger of the Year Graham is a regular presence at Howe Park Wood, and you’ll often see his updates with fellow rangers June and Tina. Most recently he has also joined in helping regularly at Elfield Park.
For over 20 years Ann has been a stalwart of volunteer practical conversation tasks and has got involved with everything from scrub clearance, hedge laying to building drystone walls. Her skills and positive attitude have been invaluable through all the years.
River Wardens and Volunteer Surveyors, Nick & Ian have enthusiastically stepped up to participate in 4 different surveys over the past couple of years. Their work has informed habitat quality of the River Ouse, helped track long term changes along a stretch of the Ouzel, informed habitat quality of the hay cut grasslands, and helped us understand the impact of grazing on our grazed grassland. All with a cheery attitude and good conversation which brightens any dreary day in the field.
A special award for an extra special volunteer! June does it all, and always with a can-do attitude and calming influence. The whole team loves working with June and we are forever grateful to her for helping the The Parks Trust with so many activities! From tree wrangling at Apple Day to patrolling, litter picking, and helping across all outdoor learning sessions, June is an inspiration to us all.
In February 2005 Sue and friend started out on a journey to bring Walking for Health to Milton Keynes by starting the first Health Walk ‘Shenley Walks’. 20 years later and there is a Health Walk every day of the week benefitting over 11,500 each year! Sue has been such an advocate for the benefits of walking we couldn’t let this special anniversary go uncelebrated!
