Highlights of 2015

December 22, 2015

I’d like to say a big Thank You to the many individuals, businesses and partner organisations that have provided expertise, enthusiasm and financial support to help make our work possible over the last twelve months.

The landscape, environment and communities of the Yorkshire Dales are at the heart of our work, and I am delighted to say that we’ll be launching a new community grant fund in 2016 to support local people, organisations and initiatives, as well as continuing our existing work.

2015 saw the tenth anniversary of our ‘People and the DALES’ project, which provides life-changing opportunities for disadvantaged community groups. Over the last decade we have brought more than 7600 people to the Yorkshire Dales to experience the health and well-being benefits of spending time in the countryside, often for the first time.

More than 7400 people took part in our annual Flowers of the Dales Festival, which this year brought together 100+ events led by experts and enthusiasts across the region. Over 30,000 people have now taken part in fun and educational events inspired by nature and wildflowers since the first Festival in 2009, and I’d like to say a big thank you to players of People’s Postcode Lottery for supporting this project, and many others.

Photo courtesy of Anne Challis

Environmental conservation has been another key focus, and with support from landowners and partners including the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Forestry Commission and The Fuelcard Company, we have continued to restore native broadleaf woodlands across the region. More than 1.2 million new trees have been planted to date, and we are looking forward to supporting other like-minded landowners with grants for tree planting in the coming year.

And 2016 looks set to be another exciting year here at the Trust, with the tenth anniversary of wildflower hay meadow restoration through the ‘Hay Time’ project on the horizon, and several ambitious new projects in the pipeline – we’ll look forward to sharing details in due course.

Thank you.

David Sharrod
Director, Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust