Bench honours couple’s century of service to Northumberland National Park
Viewpoint ceremony marks couple’s combined century of voluntary service. Tony Henderson reports
A couple who together devoted 100 years of voluntary service to Northumberland National Park have been remembered at their favourite viewpoint.
Dorothy and Trevor Hardy became park volunteers in 1960 and served until 2012.
They were remembered in a special event led by their children, John and Alison surrounded by friends, family and other volunteers at Walltown Country Park, a special location of the couple in their later years.
The event saw the unveiling of a plaque and a bench, which was draped with a flag featuring a curlew, the emblem of Northumberland National Park.
True to the pair’s dedication to the environment, the bench was made of recycled plastic, saving 2,248 milk cartons from landfill.
John said: “From the bench there is a good view north to the Northumberland fells and the border mires. The Pennine Way runs southwards towards Cross Fell and Hadrian's Wall with its long-distance foot path passes very close by.
“Mum and dad were at home in any part of Northumberland but sitting there brings it all together.”
Tony Gates, park chief executive, said: “The contribution that Dorothy and Trevor made to the National Park was monumental, not just their work but who they were and how they inspired others.
“They were two of the finest people and they worked very hard for this part of Northumberland for so many years and so it’s only fitting that there is a little part of Northumberland dedicated to them.
In the early years the pair ‘patrolled’ the park and handed out brown paper ‘trash bags’ printed with the park’s emblem and Countryside Code.
They also regularly manned the park’s mobile information centre which moved around Northumberland during summer to provide information to weekend visitors.
Trevor became honorary secretary of the then Park wardens and was responsible for arranging volunteer patrols. He also helped to set up and became a member of the National Park Mountain Rescue Team.
He was a Minister’s nominated member of the National Park Committee of Northumberland County Council, which oversaw the work of the national park.
Together Dorothy and Trevor led guided walks, carried out tree planting, projects and surveys.
In 2011, the couple, both in their late 80s, were awarded the National Park Curlew Award for 51 years of voluntary service respectively, and in 2012 they each received an MBE for services to the countryside.