We are delighted to announce that today the Mayor of Farnham notified us that Richard Horton (our chairman, founder and leader) will be receiving a prestigious "Services to Farnham Award".
Richard was nominated by Mark Elsoffer (TMBG Secretary) and Cliff Watts (Badshot Lea Community Association Chairman).
Services to Farnham Awards are awarded annually to people who provide an
outstanding or crucial service to the community or the people of
Farnham. Nominations are considered and approved by a full town council meeting. The awards’ medals are kindly sponsored by Sir Ray Tindle of
the Tindle News Group.
Richard will be receiving his award and medal from the Mayor of Farnham at a civic function at the end of February.
More about the Services to Farnham Awards here.
The full text of Richard's nomination:
"Richard Horton is a
true local hero and deserves recognition for his continued commitment
to ensuring that the local community are engaged with the natural
environment on their doorstep.
Richard is the
Chairman, founder and leader of the Tice's Meadow Bird Group – a
group of local volunteers who are committed to managing and improving
the Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve on the edge of Badshot Lea.
Richard is the
friendly face of Tice's Meadow – as happy leading a group from the
local Rotary Club around the site as he is a local school or scout
party.
Richard is the
knowledgable nature enthusiast – always willing to share his
knowledge and experience with other members of the group and the
wider public.
Richard is the
glue that binds our group together – membership continues to grow
as local residents are drawn to the relaxed, welcoming and friendly
atmosphere he encourages on site.
Richard is at the
centre of all our work – liaising with the site's owners (Hanson),
Surrey County Council, local community groups, the Blackwater Valley
Countryside Partnership, utility companies and contractors to ensure
that the group's objectives and the needs of the wildlife on site are
considered at all times.
Richard has been
involved with Tice's Meadow since the early 1980s, before the site
became a sand and gravel quarry, and was latterly restored to a
nature reserve. Firstly as a local resident who enjoyed walking his
dog on site. Then as a bird watcher who started to recognise the
potential of the site as a nature reserve once quarrying was
complete. And finally as the founder and chairman of the Tice's
Meadow Bird Group, leading a group of enthusiastic volunteers who all
care deeply for the nature reserve.
Richard was
heavily involved in lobbying for the site's restoration plan to be
significantly amended, to include provision for the nationally
important and threatened habitats of wet meadow and reed beds. Richard
also secured the retention of a publicly accessible viewing mound,
when it's future was under threat.
Richard was also
involved in the site gaining Site of Nature Conservation Interest
status – recognition by Surrey County Council of the importance of
the assemblage of bird species, and other wildlife, found on site.
The annual Tice's
Meadow BioBlitz – organised by Richard and held over a bank-holiday
weekend each Spring – is now considered a highlight of the year for
many Surrey conservationists and regularly attracts over 100 members
of the public to the site to enjoy bird ringing demonstrations,
guided birdwatching walks and talks, pond-dipping, bat detecting
walks, moth trapping, small mammal trapping and the ever popular
socialising in the evenings.
Tice's Meadow,
thanks in a large part to Richard's efforts, is now widely considered
the best place to watch birds in Surrey and one of the friendliest
nature reserves in the country.
An impressive 190
species of bird, and 1,075 species overall, have been recorded at
Tice's Meadow – a testament to the work of the Tice's Meadow Bird
Group under Richard's leadership.
Simon Elson
(Surrey County Council's Principal Environmental Enhancement Officer)
has described Tice's Meadow as a “flagship site” and “a role
model for others to follow”, in part due to Richard's tireless
leadership and achievements.
Thanks to
Richard's skill, vision and boundless enthusiasm, the Tice's Meadow
Bird Group, and Tice's Meadow itself, is thriving. Significant
self-managed projects are underway including a bird-watching shelter,
a bird-watching hide and a swift nesting tower – all being driven
by Richard's dream to make Tice's Meadow the best nature reserve in
the region.
In addition to his
work at Tice's Meadow, Richard is also committed to working within
the wider community, especially with regards to connecting locals to
the wildlife on their doorstep. Richard regularly leads public walks
for the Surrey Bird Club at Crooksbury Common and is also involved
with the conservation activities of the Badshot Lea Community
Association. Richard also sits on the board of the Badshot Lea Kiln
Village Hall, and is also committed to the activities of the
Blackwater Valley Countryside Trust, ensuring that Tice's Meadow is
now considered a “must visit” location in the wider Blackwater
Valley."
