18 Feb Torbay’s climate champions & emergency workers – both working towards a safer future

Mike Langman, winner of the Climate & Environment Champion award, presented by Queenie Martin, on behalf of sponsor Cantina Kitchen & Bar

We all claim to care about climate change and the environment, but how many of us bother going the extra mile?

Sadly, too few. It is a big subject and a complex science, but we all know there is more to it than putting out the weekly recycling, though starting on the doorstep is as good a place to start as any.

Out Climate and Environment Award in the Torbay Community Champion Awards which was again sponosored by Cantina – Kitchen & Bar in Goodrington, Paignton and Abbey Park, Torquay, is a category that is growing steadily and we expect to see that trend continue in years to come, but for now we are grateful to those people who took the time to nominate, Hannah Beaumont from Me and the Plastic Sea, Mike Langman from the Friends of Clennon Lakes and Cricketfield Community Garden who all made the shortlist.

But it was Mike Langman who came out on top for his work with fellow volunteers who have been restoring Torbay’s most important wetland to its former glory for a decade.

Without the work of Mike and all the volunteers who routinely meet up as working parties at The Lakes, one of our most beautiful and important wetlands would simply have disappeared. Along with the wide variety of wildlife that make Clennon Lakes their home.

The working parties not only work to defend the habitat for wildlife, but they are also a great way to bring the community together. All are welcome to join in and work through the structured maintenance projects that Mike and his team have set in place.

Clennon Valley lakes were created in the early 1980s, providing a place for people and wildlife. The nature reserve areas were fenced, planted with saplings, and a path was laid around, providing a place for people and wildlife.

The lakes and the immediate surrounding area are a designated County Wildlife Site. Clennon Lakes are Torbay’s most important wetland site, and a home for many species found nowhere else in Torbay, adding greatly to the bay’s biodiversity.

However, the lack of habitat management for more than 30 years saw the lakes gradually becoming overgrown, even turning back to scrub and woodland. The muddy footpaths were almost unwalkable during the winter. There was a real risk the lakes themselves would disappear – the most important part of this pocket nature reserve would be lost. A group of regular walkers recognised that something needed to be done, and as a result, in 2015, the Friends of Clennon Lakes was formed. Now, with the restoration work ongoing, people of all ages go to the Lakes to enjoy each other’s company and share experiences.

Paul Northey, winner of the Emergency Worker of the Year award, presented by Ben Woolvin on behalf of the sponsor – The Devon, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Police and Crime Commissioner

Where would we be without our Emergency Workers, and despite a surprisingly low number of nominations in this category sponsored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, there were two very worthy names on the shortlist – Liz Watt from Mini First Aid Exeter and Devon and Paul Northey – Riviera Event Solutions.

The award went to Paul Northey, who, having supported his local community through St John Ambulance for more than 40 years,  wanted to do more to help local events, so he launched Riviera Event Solutions.

His CIC was designed to provide first aid support and other services to local community events, as the cost of providing first aid at events was causing many smaller events to question whether they could continue.

Riviera event solutions also provides affordable first aid training to community groups, so more people can learn how to save a life.

According to his nominator: “If you cut Paul down the middle, it would spell community. As well as being a paramedic with the ambulance service, he has been involved in the running of children’s week (the longest running children’s festival in the UK) for more than 25 years, plus he chairs the English Riviera Events Collective, which is a group set up to support local events organisers and help them to share materials and services.”

As with all our nominees across all our categories, Paul’s efforts do not stop where most of us stop, and he wants to keep on giving back to the communities he serves, whether that is through unemployment, community work or volunteering.