The driving force behind the creation of the meadows and woods of Myddelton Grange
For Francis McCrickard, the romance began at 16. He would walk through the untamed countryside around his west Cumbrian home with his young schoolfriend Jean, studying the flora, learning to name it. He fell in love that summer, and the passion for wildflowers and trees never left him. Oh, and he married Jean, too.
Today, Francis lives in Ilkley, Yorkshire, and as well as his and Jean's three children, he can point to another personal creation: the meadows and woods of Myddelton Grange. Francis first began establishing them 10 years ago, when he was working at the children's residential centre there, and noticed what a great deal of neglected land lay around it. And so he began his work, gaining permission and grants to restore a natural beauty that would benefit both the locals and the young people staying at the centre.
The woodlands were particularly hard work. With the backing of the Forestry Commission, Francis began planting trees to create "wildlife corridors" and replacing conifers with native hardwoods. As well as the odd bit of local opposition – "Some people not really seeing the point of it all"– Francis had to contend with rampant rabbits and destructive deer, not to mention the local cattle and sheep. He can now claim 8,000 plantings of oak, ash, hazel, rowan, cherry and holly… to name but a few. "I'm not green-fingered," he smiles. "I'm actually pretty hopeless as a gardener!" Instead, he says, the traits you most need for tree planting are "patience and energy".
It is, in the words of Robert Frost, his "avocation and vocation". He and Jean have been involved in the voluntary sector their whole lives: their first act on graduating was to move to Zambia with a Catholic volunteering organisation and teach in a bush school. It's that love of Africa that has inspired Francis to set up a branch of Tools for Self Reliance, a charity that collects and restores unwanted tools – from carpentry kits to sewing machines – to artisans in various African countries. "It's so direct and practical," he says. "Tools are put into the hands of people who are crying out to use them, to make a living for themselves."
It's the meadow, however, that he talks about most passionately: "It changes its colour and patterns every year, so it's always fascinating." Last month he was thrilled to see the Burnett moth, a stunning scarlet and blue-black species, finding sanctuary among the grasses. McCrickard's efforts are inspired by "an understanding through faith that we have to be stewards of creation". The moths are a well-deserved earthly reward.
*Runners-up: Dan Thompson (**Empty Shops Network**, Worthing), Douglas Peacock and Emily Cutts (**North Kelvin Meadow** and Children's Wood, Glasgow), **Kendra Ullyart** (environmental projects, Darlington), Zoe Palmer (**Golden Company**, London)* Reported by guardian.co.uk 20 minutes ago.
For Francis McCrickard, the romance began at 16. He would walk through the untamed countryside around his west Cumbrian home with his young schoolfriend Jean, studying the flora, learning to name it. He fell in love that summer, and the passion for wildflowers and trees never left him. Oh, and he married Jean, too.
Today, Francis lives in Ilkley, Yorkshire, and as well as his and Jean's three children, he can point to another personal creation: the meadows and woods of Myddelton Grange. Francis first began establishing them 10 years ago, when he was working at the children's residential centre there, and noticed what a great deal of neglected land lay around it. And so he began his work, gaining permission and grants to restore a natural beauty that would benefit both the locals and the young people staying at the centre.
The woodlands were particularly hard work. With the backing of the Forestry Commission, Francis began planting trees to create "wildlife corridors" and replacing conifers with native hardwoods. As well as the odd bit of local opposition – "Some people not really seeing the point of it all"– Francis had to contend with rampant rabbits and destructive deer, not to mention the local cattle and sheep. He can now claim 8,000 plantings of oak, ash, hazel, rowan, cherry and holly… to name but a few. "I'm not green-fingered," he smiles. "I'm actually pretty hopeless as a gardener!" Instead, he says, the traits you most need for tree planting are "patience and energy".
It is, in the words of Robert Frost, his "avocation and vocation". He and Jean have been involved in the voluntary sector their whole lives: their first act on graduating was to move to Zambia with a Catholic volunteering organisation and teach in a bush school. It's that love of Africa that has inspired Francis to set up a branch of Tools for Self Reliance, a charity that collects and restores unwanted tools – from carpentry kits to sewing machines – to artisans in various African countries. "It's so direct and practical," he says. "Tools are put into the hands of people who are crying out to use them, to make a living for themselves."
It's the meadow, however, that he talks about most passionately: "It changes its colour and patterns every year, so it's always fascinating." Last month he was thrilled to see the Burnett moth, a stunning scarlet and blue-black species, finding sanctuary among the grasses. McCrickard's efforts are inspired by "an understanding through faith that we have to be stewards of creation". The moths are a well-deserved earthly reward.
*Runners-up: Dan Thompson (**Empty Shops Network**, Worthing), Douglas Peacock and Emily Cutts (**North Kelvin Meadow** and Children's Wood, Glasgow), **Kendra Ullyart** (environmental projects, Darlington), Zoe Palmer (**Golden Company**, London)* Reported by guardian.co.uk 20 minutes ago.