A real countryside champion!
Colonel Geoffrey Sparrow of Birtles recently received the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s Countryside Medal, the charity’s highest accolade, in recognition of his years of hard work to defend and enhance our county. Since holding a meeting at his home in 1988 to relaunch the Macclesfield District group of CPRE, Colonel Sparrow has given countless hours of his time to campaign for Cheshire’s countryside.
CPRE Cheshire’s President, Lord Grey of Codnor, commented ‘Geoffrey has tirelessly followed the planning applications in the area over the last 22 years. He worked with indefatigable energy and spent hours at the Town Hall participating in inquiries which often went on for weeks and months.
‘His other great contribution to the whole of Cheshire is, of course, all his work involving our hedgerows and hedgerow trees. He has driven and walked many miles around the county encouraging farmers, landowners and schools to improve our hedges. He has instigated a tree and hedgerow award scheme with the support of the Cheshire Landscape Trust, and is now working on a Coppice Award Scheme.’
Our heartfelt thanks go to Geoffrey for his campaigning over the years.