George Pidgeon presented with the first John Greenshields Award
The inaugural John Greenshields Award was presented this week to its first winner George Pigeon.
The John Greenshields Award, set up by the Blackdown Hills National Landscape, in collaboration with the National Trust, commemorates the legacy of local farmer and conservationist John Greenshields and aims to honour the significant contributions he made to the conservation of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape.
Winner George Pidgeon is a veteran hedge layer and vice-chair of the Blackdown Hills Hedge Association. George has remarkable knowledge which he has gained through a lifetime of hedgelaying and tireless research. His skills are evident in the excellent work he does. For example, at Gilletts Farm, where he has been laying and gaping up a series of exceptionally difficult hedges, turning unkempt edges into works of art and opening up long-lost views. George is also a great networker threading people together in the community, whether they be busy farmers or smallholders, he has time for them all, and they have time for him. This has resulted in many hedges sympathetically managed in the Blackdown Hills that would otherwise have been flailed or left to over mature.
The presentation of the award took place at Wellington Monument, where John’s wife, Jo, presented the commemorative wood carving. She
Bob Nelson, chair of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape Partnership, welcomed guests, including National Trust volunteers, to the ceremony held outside the Visitor Centre, now named in honour of John Greenshields. He highlighted George Pidgeon’s lifelong dedication to hedge laying and tree conservation, noting that John would have been delighted with George as the first recipient.
The aim of this new annual award is to acknowledge the notable contributions individuals or groups have made in areas such as nature recovery, climate action, sustainable farming, conservation, and cultural heritage. Not only is it an opportunity to celebrate past achievements it also aims to inspire future conservation efforts in the Blackdown Hills, encouraging everyone to make a difference, no matter how small. This year, the focus was on ‘farmers and farming,’ reflecting John’s passion for the land and its preservation, and there will be a new theme each year to encourage entrants from all walks of life.
