Trust volunteer honoured

8:00am Tuesday 4th March 2008

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A top award from the UK's leading woodland conservation charity has been presented to Janet Anders of Chorleywood who for the past 14 years has organised weekly volunteer work parties in Philipshill Wood for the Woodland Trust.

Janet, 70, was named the Trust's Volunteer of the Year and was presented with a commemorative bronze medal in Philipshill Wood last week by Norman Starks, the Woodland Trust's UK Woodland operations director.

Janet and her team of volunteers have helped in the process of restoring Philipshill Wood to its former glory as native, broadleaved woodland.

They have worked to create favourable conditions for the slowly-maturing beech trees and their accompanying carpet of bluebells, and carried out surveys of wildlife on this ancient woodland site.

The medal is officially known as the Watkins Memorial medal, named after the Woodland Trust's founder, Kenneth Watkins.

Janet and her team of volunteers were nominated by the trust's regional development officer John Brown, and local woodland officer Loren Eldred.

Loren said: "Janet and the Friends of Philipshill Wood have turned up for work in the wood most Wednesdays since 1994, and it's down to Janet's boundless energy that a sufficient number of volunteers turn up and there is suitable work to do.

"The practical work they do complements the work of the Trust, and we have a strong partnership."

UK woodland operations director Norman Starks said: "Janet cares deeply for the woodland and has great enthusiasm for the work of the Trust.

Her ongoing assistance to manage the site and her willingness to influence others is impressive. She has spoken eloquently to visitors to the site, and in front of important funders and decision-makers in London, on behalf of the Trust about its work at Philipshill Wood."

Janet studied botany as a student in Durham, and has used her botanical skills throughout her professional life, pausing only to raise two children.

She's now a proud grandmother of four, and lives with her husband in Chorleywood.

She said: "Working for the Woodland Trust and watching the improvements to Philipshill Wood has been one of the most satisfying things that I have done.

"I'm very honoured to receive this year's Watkins Memorial Medal for the Volunteer of the Year, but I must give credit to the Friends of Philipshill Wood volunteer group. They're great fun to work with, and the improving state of the wood in 2008 is down to their joint efforts."

Janet said she learned her woodland skills from the Trust's regional development manager John Brown. "He was a fantastic boss and trained me up," she explained. "I was his apprentice' for five years, trailing him and his contractors all over the wood, watching, listening and learning how things were done. John Brown was the one who encouraged me and gave me the confidence to organise our work."