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Immediate Past President of Horncastle Rotary Club, Mike Wakelin has put his lifelong interest in trees and woodland to good use over the years by supporting Horncastle’s millennium wood at Banovallum Carr. Now, his good work has been recognised with an award from the Woodland Trust.
Mike, together with fellow members of the Horncastle Rotary Club, campaigned to raise funds to buy a 3.8 hectare (9.5 acre) extension to the new millennium woodland on Horncastle’s doorstep. Their efforts helped to nearly double the size of Banovallum Carr, bringing it much closer to the edge of Horncastle. Mike was also a stalwart at the site’s community tree planting event in January 2008 when local people planted almost three quarters of the site with willows, alders and aspens.
Mike was presented with the Trust’s ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award and commemorative Woodland Trust pen at a special tree planting ceremony at the site he helped to secure, on Tuesday 9 December.
He said: "I have been a member of the Trust for many years. When I became aware of the proposal to extend Banovallum Carr I bullied my fellow members of Horncastle Rotary Club into supporting the project. We gave it what publicity we could, distributed leaflets and made cups of tea at the community tree-planting day. I am delighted, for the community, that the project has been so successful."
Mike was nominated by Woodland Trust regional development officer Liz McLelland for campaigning to raise funds to buy Banovallum Carr near Horncastle, supporting the site’s community tree planting event, and for bringing in the support of his fellow Rotarians.
“What Mike has done is fantastic,” said Liz. “We couldn’t have succeeded in our appeal to buy the extension to Banovallum Carr without his help. He and fellow volunteers from the Rotary Club delivered thousands to leaflets to homes around Horncastle and kept local people informed about the project. The tree planting event saw hundreds turn up and it is thanks to Mike’s part in this that it was such an enjoyable day for everyone involved. His work to support woodland creation in Lincolnshire is to be commended.”
President of the Rotary Club of Horncastle, Mike Wakelin, right of centre, presents a cheque for £400 to RABI East England regional fundraising officer Bob Archibald. Either side are club Sergeant-at-Arms David Mawby and President-elect Fiona Martin. On the steps is Immediate Past President Janet Richardson, editor of Wrights Farming Register. Thanks go to Chandlers Farm Equipment Ltd of Horncastle where the photograph was taken; in the background is Mortons Media Group Ltd, publishers of Wrights which has been featuring the work of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution in recent editions.
WHEN
members of Horncastle Rotary Club’s twin club in Holland visited
the area last spring, they brought a gift to mark the occasion.
This was a framed photograph of yellow tulips in bloom with the promise
that the bulbs would follow ready for planting later in the year.
Four members of the Den Helder Club duly flew in by light aircraft to
Wickenby Airfield in October, bringing with them four sacks of bulbs.
These were planted in Horncastle’s Hamerton Gardens, with the help
of East Lindsey District Council’s parks and gardens staff, to bring
a splash of spring colour to this popular green area which is also home
to a British Korean War Veterans’ memorial.
Horncastle club President Mike Wakelin went to see how the tulips were
growing and was delighted to find them in full bloom.
Fair Trade Hampers
We continue to sell Fair Trade hampers and have extended the range to include fairly traded baskets of all kinds. Stalls will be held a Harrington Hall Open Gardens during the summer - visit www.fairhampers.co.uk
