Trustee awards 2022

David Peacock

Special Contribution and Long Service

David, BSc(Eng) ARSM MAIME DIC PhD, was a Trustee for six years (2006 to 2012), lead the Transport Group campaigning against the Weymouth Relief Road, then became our Renewable Energy Expert. He produces detailed technical reports on current and future renewable energy generation in Dorset and the UK, across different technologies. David updated the reports when Dorset went from having nine districts authorities to two unitary authorities from April 2019. The reports provide evidence that, on the whole, Dorset’s record of, and prospects for, renewable energy generation and progress towards targets are impressive suggests that planning authorities, from now on, should ensure that no more than minimal damage is caused by renewable energy installations to Dorset’s highly valued assets.

In a separate report produced in 2020, ‘Data relevant to UK Hydraulic Fracturing’, David focuses on the numbers of heavy goods vehicle trips required for removal of waste from well sites and the delivery of water and sand to well sites.

His most recent reports released in 2022 focus on ‘Installations of National Significance’ and ‘Role of Roof-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Installations in 2050 Electricity Generation’. David’s knowledge is invaluable when responding to consultations and planning applications.

Rupert Hardy

Promoting Rural Life

One of Rupert’s main areas of interest is campaigning to promote Dorset’s quality local food and drink producers. In 2014, with Rupert’s efforts, Dorset CPRE launched a campaign to help Dorset village shops by sponsoring for six years the class ‘Best Village Shop’, in the Best Dorset Village Competition. Rupert was one of the judges. In 2017 Rupert initiated a campaign to promote quality local food and drink producers. We held a summer event at the Langham Wine Estate with a number of food producers showing off their delicious foods to complement the sparkling wine made there.

Rupert writes articles for our biannual magazine featuring interviews with food and drink producers and encouraging our members and readers to please spend more in their village shops, but particularly on the wonderful local produce they showcase. During lockdown, he wrote about the struggles faced by rural pubs and not to desert village shops once lockdown is over – both are the beating hearts of our rural communities.

Rupert took on the role of North Dorset Chair in 2018 and regularly recruits new members. In 2020 a new Blackmore Vale online magazine was launched. Rupert secured a monthly ‘Rural Matters’ two-page article contributing a wide range of topical rural articles from building design, village shops, community-led projects, hedgerows, planning and more.

Debbie McConnell

Special Contribution

Debbie McConnell in her role as Chair of the CPRE Lancashire, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester group has overseen the team who engage in campaigning for the countryside.  The team think she is clever, positive, and kind.  They have witnessed how she has contributed significantly to the delivery of planning and environmental campaigning, and how she helped to raise the public awareness of environmental issues, including the value of hedgerows and threat posed by fracking to rural areas.   Debbie supported Crispin Truman and the Senior Management Team to create a much more relevant and inclusive CPRE movement with a refreshed governance structure, core values and importantly ensuring more diversity in the organisation, reflecting that the countryside benefits everyone, and in turn enabling everyone to champion the countryside.

Debbie is described by her team as a ‘CPRE Superstar’. She is clever, energetic and importantly as a trustee she is a very kind person.

She selflessly gives her time to attend meetings online. and increasingly in London and elsewhere, to support the CPRE movement.  The team is amazed at all the things she does in promoting CPRE campaigns, from field to fork, countryside walks, to the need for more clean energy, to managing hedgerow projects.

Judy Geer

Outstanding Service

As a member of CPRE for several years, Judy Geer joined the CPRE Rutland committee as a volunteer in 2012.  Subsequently she became a Trustee in 2016.  She played an important role in assisting to sort out the accounts in 2018 and was confirmed as Honorary Treasurer in 2019.  Since then, she has worked tirelessly to ensure that the accounts were modernized.  Moreover, she single-handedly supervised the negotiations to transfer to electronic banking.  During this time, she has stood in for a vacant secretary and maintained Branch relations with the Charity Commissioners.  She has made positive and well-considered contributions to a new and revised constitution.  Her overall contribution to CPRE Rutland has been outstanding is recognised with her volunteer award and medal.

John Ydlibi

Special Contribution

John is a great asset to CPRE with his progressive ideas and tenacious networking. He has steered CPRE Derbyshire towards ever greater success, while nurturing his committee and new volunteers alike.

John became Chair at CPRE Derbyshire in summer 2021, and in this short this time he’s made a hugely positive impact. He has been a major contributor to the CPRE ‘Three Counties Project’ which was designed to provide additional support to three groups in the East Midlands.

In 2021, John was instrumental in CPRE Derbyshire’s ‘Hedgerow Heroes’ bid, which secured funding for various hedgerow planting projects across Derbyshire. This has further put the group on the map, and contributes to CPREs overall aim of restoring our depleted hedgerow networks.

Chris Dady

Special Contribution

Chris has been Chair of the Norfolk branch for a number of years. Under his leadership CPRE Norfolk has played a key role in influencing development in the county, helping to stop inappropriate schemes and reshaping other to ensure that they are more sympathetic to the needs the local population and the environment.

During this time, through his drive and enthusiasm he has increased the profile of CPRE in the county through interviews on local radio, tv and the press, writing articles for local papers and magazines, and building links with other charities and organisations in the region. In addition he has led the development of a coherent strategy for CPRE Norfolk and improved the way we operate.

Chris has also played a lead role in CPRE’s East of England regional committee and beyond, working effectively with colleagues across the CPRE family.

David Brooke

Promoting CPRE strategic aims

David’s nomination came with the support of all the trustees of CPRE Gloucestershire who are unanimous in their respect for the enormous contribution David has made to the group over many years. David has just finished his term of office as a trustee so this is the ideal time for such an award.

During this time, he has twice taken on the role of Acting Director on a voluntary basis, working virtually full-time to maintain the business of the charity when we were without paid staff.  He has always been efficient, thorough and wise.  As Vice Chair, he guided our charity successfully towards becoming a CIO.  The kind of work which David has done, vital to the success of the organisation, seldom receives the recognition it deserves.  As Chair, I have benefitted hugely from his steadfast support and wisdom in running the charity.