On the 18th of August we attended the North of England Curlew Conservation Awards held as Masham Town Hall. These awards celebrate the work of farmers, volunteers and upland managers across the North of England, to conserve Eurasian Curlews.
The event was organised and introduced by Matt Trevelyan the Farming in Protected Landscapes Officer for Nidderdale National Landscape.
This was not one of those dull and dry award ceremonies, far from it. Between the award announcements there were songs and poetry readings to entertain the 100 plus attendees. These songs and poems were written during three Call of the Curlew Singing and Songwriting workshop sessions led by nature writer, Karen Lloyd, and musician, Mary Keith at differing locations throughout North Yorkshire during August. The results of these workshops were rehearsed and then performed on the day by the newly formed Pennine Hills Curlew Choir. In short, they were magnificent.
The first guest speaker was Amanda Perkins of Curlew Country, who spoke on Lowland Curlew Conservation and the challenges that brings to her and her team. Amanda was followed by last year’s winner of the Farmland Curlew Award Rebecca Dickens of Hallbankgate Farm in Cumbria, who outlined all the work that she and her partner Ian Bell were undertaking to make the farm they run inviting and secure for wildlife in general and in articular of course Curlews and other waders.
Awards were then made by Tom Orde-Powlett for this year’s Farmland Curlew Award that went to the Grosvenor Abbeystead Estate and the Group Award that went to Darley Beck Curlew Project.
After another song by the choir, there was a sumptuous and delicious hot buffet supplied, which was of excellent quality and taste.
Once reconvened there was a Curlew Photography slide show to celebrate the life of conservation volunteer and wildlife photographer Barry Carter. Music and sounds were recorded by composer and songwriter Sarah Dew with a piece called simply ‘Curlew’, which featured the singer Anna Shannon.
This was followed by a presentation by Tom Orde-Powlett about Upland Curlew Conservation, outlining the work done in the uplands and the reasons and benefits of various methods of management. This includes the preservation of Hen Harriers in the uplands.
Amanda Perkins then presented the Upland Curlew Award which went to Bolton Castle Estate and the last awards were Volunteer Award, which went to Mr Barny Sykes of Curlew Recovery South Lakes, Cumbria and the Young Person Award, which went to Katie Laidlow, presented by Matt Trevelyan and Alicia Hayden respectively.
There then followed two film screenings. The first was ‘Curlew, Curlew, Curlew’ an amusing film animated and narrated by the children of Nidderdale. The second was the film made by Alicia Hayden ‘The Lost Songstress’ which was supported by the Wader Quest 2022 Anniversary Grant and introduced by Rick Simpson, co-founder of Wader Quest.
