The northern AONBs were this year's hosts; they welcomed attendees and showcased a range of projects.
The theme for this year's conference was Engagement, in its widest sense. Speakers from inside the protected landscape network and the wider world talked about a range of subjects: ethnic minority communities, financial and social deprivation, young people, improving mental health, education, effective use of social media, farming, nature recovery and biodiversity. This encompased a multitude of different communities of people, hence 'peoples' (plural) in the conference title.
A huge thank you to all the AONBs who submitted entries for the Bowland Award, nominations were received from:
Anglesey AONB - Tech Tyfu - Menter Môn
Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB - Active Woods Wales
Cotswolds National Landscape: Recognising Rebecca Jones' achievements
Forest of Bowland AONB: The Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership
Kent Downs AONB: Diversity and Inclusion
Lincolnshire Wolds AONB: Lincolnshire Blow Wells - A part of our nature recovery
North Wessex Downs AONB: The Sparkling Streams Project
Northumberland Coast AONB: Accessing Aidan
As expected from the AONB family, standards were high and choosing three finalists took some time! Our finalists were...
Forest of Bowland AONB - The Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership
Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership is an ambitious five-year programme of activity based around the heritage and landscape of Pendle Hill, led by the Forest of Bowland AONB and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Pendle Hill LP has been delivered via an integrated suite of 15 projects. The programme has provided opportunities for training and volunteering; restoration of important landscape features and habitats; improved access to the countryside; supported innovative research on ecosystems services and developed interpretation to inspire a new generation about their local landscape and heritage. This is all underpinned with the aim of engaging people from a wider range of communities and backgrounds; with a particular focus on South Asian and other ethnic minority communities, people with mental health and social isolation issues and young people.
Most of these projects have included ‘Gatherings’ that comprise a strong element of creative arts, bringing people together from both sides of the hill, building cohesion and creating shared points of view.
Kent Downs AONB - Diversity and Inclusion
The Kent Downs AONB has significantly strengthened our focus on Diversity and Inclusion in our recent Management Plan Review and all of our programmes and recent projects including sustainable tourism, countryside access, landscape partnerships, national research and farming support in protected landscapes. This focus has led to wide range of inclusivity and diversity measures, it has also led to a change in our organisational project planning and how staff plan and deliver all our projects and programmes.
This has been an important journey for all of our team and is beginning to show a real change on the ground. We recognise we have a long way to go and are grateful for the generous help and support we have had from experts, representatives, organisations and individuals with lived experience to take our first important steps on this journey.
Northumberland Coast AONB - Accessing Aidan
Bamburgh Heritage Trust is a small group of community volunteers working together to celebrate and treasure the stories of Bamburgh. They secured funding to deliver the ambitious ‘Accessing Aidan’ Project that:
Enabled access to the crypt of St Aidan’s Church, Bamburgh so that it now welcomes visitors every day.
Installed new interpretation in the crypt and the church to create a heritage space which explores the significance of Anglo-Saxon Bamburgh.
Utilised the extensive research done by Durham University and Bamburgh Research Project to tell the unique stories of the Anglo-Saxon skeletons excavated from the sand dunes and now interred in the newly created ossuary in the second crypt.
Created a 21st century digital ossuary, making all the skeleton analysis available digitally - https://bamburghbones.org/ossuary/digital-ossuary/
Delivered a varied and engaging activity programme which will bring new audiences and train local volunteers to support the heritage offer and sustain the project going forward.
Voting
On the Tuesday of the conference there were presentations from each of the three finalists, and they also all had a stand in the tea and coffee area. Delegates were able to visit them to hear more about their projects. Each AONB team were then given the opportunity to vote on which project they thought was most deserving of the Bowalnd Award this year.
And the winner was...
Northumberland Coast AONB - Accessing Aidan