The 42nd AGM of Friends of the Dales took place on Saturday 26 September at the beautiful setting of Bolton Abbey Village Hall. As the newly appointed Executive Director, it was a wonderful opportunity to meet old and new members of Friends of the Dales.
Firstly, it was wonderful that Honorary Membership was unanimously awarded to my predecessor Ann Shadrake. Ann had led Friends of the Dales for 15 years and I was able to thank Ann for her leadership and being able to inherit a vibrant and well-run, small but focused campaigning organisation.
Jonathan Riley, our Chair, presented a year in review highlighting key successes including our Eyes on the Skies campaign and the recent success of Hellifield Flashes being designated as a Site of Importance for Nature. Friends of the Dales has been campaigning for a long time to preserve this watery oasis which supports waders, rare breeding birds and species of conservation concern.
Jonathan also formally thanked Victoria Benn in person for her excellent stewardship of our communications and campaigns work over the past five years.
Victoria has recently taken up a full-time role at Yorkshire Dales River Trust. While it was sad to say goodbye to Victoria, I especially appreciate all her support in my first few weeks. However, I am sure we will continue to cross paths and hopefully one day, I will go on my first river fish survey! I think I even have an old pair of waders somewhere.
With the business done in the morning and after a ploughman’s lunch of pie and Yorkshire cheese, we resumed with an inspiring afternoon of guest speakers on the challenges to the Yorkshire Dales being a thriving, sustainable place for people to live, work and visit.
Our speakers, as follows, all spoke to access, inclusion, importance of sustainable transport and the challenges facing National Parks.
Elliot Lorimer, Yorkshire Dales National Park
Aila Taylor and Lorayne Woodend Wall from Friends of the Lake District
Chris Nash from DalesBus
President Dr Amy-Jane Beer
We finished with Aila Taylor challenging to us all vision what we might like the Yorkshire Dales to look like in 50 years, birds of prey in the sky, jobs and homes for young people and a landscape thriving with diverse flora and fauna.
It was a real pleasure to spend time with members old and new. The shift towards speaker-led sessions is proving invaluable and sparking fresh conversations, timely insights and plenty of engaging debate.
The afternoon panel debate certainly challenged my thinking about future strategy and direction and how young people need jobs, homes, transport and agency.
Our AGMs are open to all members – so get in touch to join fresh and innovative conversations about the future landscape, people, nature and ecology of the Yorkshire Dales.