My term as Trustee on the Severn Gorge Countryside Trust has now spanned 13 years, having first been appointed to the role by Shropshire Council in October 2001.
I was born in a house on the edge of the Workhouse Coppice in Benthall and have spent countless hours walking in the beautiful Gorge woodlands. At one point, I was part of a group of local residents who successfully campaigned to prevent a caravan park and access road being built in the woods – at the time many people spoke about the importance of such places in their lives and the need to protect them for future generations. The Ironbridge Gorge is a stunning natural phenomenon and I am passionate about the need to protect the flora and fauna and to promote the importance of these precious wild areas. So it is a real privilege to be able to have some input into the way the area is managed and maintained.
As an interested long-time resident, I am able to contribute local knowledge and historic detail and my role as a local councillor is useful for disseminating information about the work of the Trust and for addressing public concerns. I am able to use my Shropshire Council links to liaise with other interested bodies and I am also a member of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site Strategy Group, Broseley Town Council and the Broseley and Barrow Local Joint Committee.