Our Coast, Our Sea - Young Rangers LOVE Northumberland

15 July 2011

The Young Rangers on the Coast group are delighted to have received a Love Northumberland Award from the Duchess of Northumberland at a ceremony held at Alnwick Garden on Wednesday evening.

The Young Rangers, who are based in Seahouses, carry out practical conservation tasks to help keep the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty a special place. Their work helping to conserve and enhance the Natural beauty of the Northumberland Coast was recognised by the judging panel, winning the ‘Best Young People’s Project’ award.

The awards have been developed by Northumberland County Council through its LOVE Northumberland campaign, with the aim of promoting the work of the council and its many partner organisations and community groups and volunteers who all work towards preserving and enhancing the environment in the county.

The Duchess was extremely impressed by the standard of entries. She said: “The work that is being carried out by these groups is fantastic. One of the things that I believe makes Northumberland stand out is the huge number of people who are willing to give up their time on a voluntary basis to improve their local area, and these awards are marking out just some of this work.

“It is also superb to see the projects that involve young people who have won awards here tonight – as they represent the next generation of volunteers and environmental champions for our area.”

The group celebrates its fifth birthday in September and over the last five years the Young Rangers have tackled all sorts of tasks including access improvements, gorse clearance on the Whin Sill, helping to prepare Coquet Island RSPB reserve for breeding birds, pond clearance and hedge planting no name a few.

The Young Rangers Project is jointly managed by the Seahouses Youth Project and Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership. Shirley Wright, who manages the Youth Project, speaking after the awards ceremony, was delighted “To receive this award is fantastic recognition of the work this group of young people have done to help keep the Northumberland Coast a beautiful place. All of the youngsters involved have been really committed to the project”

Cllr Isabel Hunter, executive member responsible for the environment at Northumberland County Council said “The Northumberland Coast is one of the finest landscapes in the country. Young people of today will have the responsibility of conserving and enhancing this natural beauty for the next generation. The Young Rangers on the Coast Project is involving young people now, to protect the Northumberland Coast for the future and I am very pleased that they have been rewarded for their efforts”.

Iain Robson from the Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership said “We are recruiting for next years Young Rangers. If you live on or near the Northumberland Coast, are aged between 13 and 20, have a passion for the environment and are available on Saturdays between September and May then why not join us. Further details are available from Shirley Wright on 01665 721960 or visit www.northumberland.gov.uk/youngrangers”