National Park Volunteer Awards open for nominations

The UK’s National Parks are looking for nominations for the 2018 National Parks Volunteer Awards. The awards are a great way to recognise and thank some of the incredible volunteers who dedicate thousands of hours of service and effort every year helping to protect and improve Britain’s 15 National Parks.

There are four categories open for nominations – Individual, Young Person (25 years and below), Group and Project. The group and project winners will receive a £1,000 bursary towards their future volunteering efforts. The individual and young person winners will receive outdoor kit from UK National Parks partner Columbia Sportswear. The awards recognise the hard work of volunteers deemed to have gone above and beyond the usual expectations of volunteer service.

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park has more than 200 enthusiastic volunteers. Last year they gave 15,000 hours of their valuable time towards helping people to have great experiences in the National Park, enhancing and protecting habitats for wildlife and supporting many exciting community projects.

Gordon Watson, Chief Executive of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, said: “Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do and across the National Park there are some fantastic projects that are driven by the support of volunteers.

“Volunteers make a huge difference to their local community and the National Park Awards 2018 help to recognise individuals, groups and projects and thank them for their hard work and dedication.

“I hope people take the opportunity to nominate the many deserving individuals and projects in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park.”

This year the National Parks Volunteer Awards are supported by Columbia Sportswear.

Eoin Treacy, Sales & Marketing Manager Columbia UK & Ireland said: “National Park volunteers maintain and bring to life our most inspiring landscapes. Columbia is delighted to support the Volunteer Awards, and we look forward to the Kendal Mountain Festival when we’ll present the winners with their well-deserved prizes. “

Nominees don’t need to be a volunteer for a UK National Park to be eligible. All that is required is that the volunteer service or project takes place within the boundaries of one of the UK’s 15 National Parks.

Nominations are open until 12 noon on Friday 21^st September 2018.

To nominate a deserving individual, young person, group, or project and to find out how to volunteer yourself visit National Parks UK.