RESIDENTS at The Elms retirement park in Lincolnshire have been praised for helping to achieve a major environmental accolade for the 340-home country estate.
The Torksey park was named this month as a winner of the gold David Bellamy Conservation Award for its raft of initiatives to protect the natural world.
Assessors for the award described The Elms as one of the greenest places to live in Britain, and said that the park owners and the community both deserved credit.
According to Tracey Coulson, a member of the Kinch family which has owned The Elms for over 35 years, everyone was delighted with the news of the honour:
“Residents here are extremely supportive of our conservation work, and play a big part themselves in encouraging our amazing variety of wildlife,” said Tracey.
“Many have created beautiful wildlife areas in their gardens which provide shelter, habitats and feeding resources for birds and animals.
“They have also followed our example of planting many high nectar-bearing flowers which provide vital foraging for honey bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
“Perhaps because of our family’s farming background, we’ve always been concerned to us all,” added Tracey.
The David Bellamy award scheme was founded 25 years ago by TV botanist Professor Bellamy who died last year, and its work is today being carried on by his son Rufus.
Assessors said they found a long list of conservation initiatives at The Elms which fully merited its being given the highest level of the award.
They praised the park’s careful maintenance of its three lakes which act as a magnet for many different types of birds and aquatic life, from ducks to dragonflies.
Owls and other bird species are encouraged by the siting of nesting boxes in the grounds, and The Elms has also created a wildflower area in its 65-acre grounds.
The park has installed six bee hives in a quiet wooded area of the park, and sales of the resulting honey and bees wax blocks raise funds for the residents’ mini-bus appeal.
Charging points have been installed for cars, and the park has invested in an electric golf buggy as a means of day-to-day transport about the park.
The assessors also praised the huge amount of fundraising and other charitable work carried out by the park and residents for local good causes in the area.
In addition to the main David Bellamy award, The Elms received three extra badges for its work in creating woodland habitats, planting hedges, and making the park honey bee friendly.
“Since lockdown ended, the park and residents have truly bounced back, and this award will spur us on to even greater things!” said Tracey.
There is more information about The Elms on its website at www.elmsretirementpark.co.uk