OGWELLIANS have many a reason to celebrate, not least because a community group based in the parish has recently been recognised at a county-wide award ceremony for its action towards wildlife conservation.

Ogwild, a wildflower group working to introduce wild areas with-in Ogwell parish, was among the winners at the Devon Wildlife Community of the Year Awards, which took place on Tuesday, December 6, at Exeter Phoenix.

Inaddition to creating pollinator corridors, Ogwild, which formed in 2019, have held more than 50 events to encourage residents to increase the biodiversity of their parish and as recognition of this work the community group won the Wildlife Community of the Year Award.

Paul Martin, a member of Ogwild, said: ‘We are more than pleased to win this award; we are thrilled!

‘We would like to thank every single person who has helped us to reach this point in any small or big way.

‘We hope we have inspired more people to do what they can for wildlife and the environment.’

Among the winners were another Teignbridge-based group: Teignbridge Wildlife Wardens, who walked away with the Special Local Nature Partnership Award.

Great Torrington Town Council and Lydford Primary School were also the grateful reciepients of an award: the former being recognised as the Wildlife Parish & Town Council of the Year and the latter welcomed the Wildlife School of the Year Award

The award are part of Devon Local Nature Partnership’s Wild About Devon initiative, which supports local communities to restore and improve important habitats for nature.

Devon Local Nature Partnership manager and County Ecologist, Sarah Jennings, said: ‘This is the first time we’ve held an award ceremony for Wildlife Community of the Year.

‘There are an incredible range of community projects and initiatives taking place across Devon.

‘It was wonderful to meet some of the local people making action for wildlife happen – they are an inspiration to all of us to do our bit in our communities.’

Speakers at the ceremony included Derek Gow, rewilding champion, farmer, and author of ‘Bringing Back the Beaver’, and Kevin Cox from Moor Meadows.

The event was chaired by Harry Barton, CEO of Devon Wildlife Trust and Vice Chair of Devon Local Nature Partnership.