Abernethy's ancient forest work wins new prize
An RSPB Scotland project at Abernethy National Nature Reserve (NNR) has been announced as a winner at this year’s ScottishPower Foundation Awards which took place at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth last Thursday (October 15).
The project, which has created a new tree nursery at Abernethy with funding from the ScottishPower Foundation, was awarded in the Community Impact / Engagement category.
Abernethy National Nature Reserve is rich in wildlife including red squirrels, capercaillie, crested tits, and Scottish crossbills, along with many rare mosses, fungi and plants, and has the largest single remnant of Caledonian pinewood left in the UK. It Is also home to the famous Loch Garten ospreys – when ospreys returned to breed in the UK in the 1950s it was the ancient Caledonian pinewood forest at Abernethy where they chose to make their home.
With ScottishPower Foundation support, teams of children, young people and adult volunteers have been able to grow and plant thousands of new trees, receiving training in the key skills required to expand the ancient forest for the future.
There were four categories at this year’s event, including Community Impact / Engagement, Innovation, Education Partnership and Charity Champion. Each winning project was awarded a £7,500 prize, in addition to the funds it already received from ScottishPower Foundation, to further enhance and develop the hugely valuable services it currently provides.
The Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of the 28 outstanding charities and non-profit organisations, from across the UK, that have received funding from the ScottishPower Foundation over the past year.
RSPB Scotland’s Jeremy Roberts, Senior Site Manager at Abernethy said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the prize in the Community Impact / Engagement category acknowledging our contribution to the rich environment of the Abernethy community. The work we do is made possible by the support and backing of the ScottishPower Foundation and we’d like to thank the team for its continued support over the past year. We’re looking forward to getting back to Abernethy and sharing the good news.”
Another Scottish project, Children’s University Scotland, was commended in the Community Impact / Engagement category.
Mary de la Pena, Chief Executive of Children’s University Scotland said: “We are delighted to have been acknowledged alongside such brilliant projects. The ScottishPower Foundation assisted in establishing Children’s University in Scotland and we’d like to say thank you for its ongoing support.”
Ann Loughrey, Trustee and Executive Officer of the ScottishPower Foundation, said: “I would like to offer a huge congratulations to all of our winners at this year’s ScottishPower Foundation Awards. We are lucky to work with truly inspirational projects and what they do in communities across the UK is admirable. We are delighted to have been able to play a role in supporting them this year.”
