Meet the recipient of the 2019 Ploughlands Legacy Award

We are delighted to announce that Andrew Dixon is the first recipient of the trust’s Ploughlands Legacy Award. Presented annually, this award recognises the significant contribution made by an individual or group to the conservation of the rivers and lakes of the River Eden catchment.

Andrew has a huge passion for rivers and the environment.

For twenty years he has been encouraging people to get involved with river stewardship, carrying out countless river clean-ups, recruiting volunteers and working with landowners and Eden Rivers Trust in the Lowther and Eamont catchments to improve water quality through fencing and riparian habitat creation. As part of this, he initiated walkovers in the Lightwater area to target areas of potential trout recruitment in the Lower Eamont river for conservation and rehabilitation.

He has been a widely respected Honorary Secretary of Penrith Angling Association for 20 plus years and has been very active in encouraging young anglers, not only to take up the sport, but to be custodians of the river.

Andrew also has a vast knowledge of the ecology of the river and a great eye for detail which might explain why he is an expert amateur entomologist and recognised as a leading expert in the field of Caddisfly.

Elizabeth Radford, CEO Eden Rivers Trust said:

“I am delighted to present the inaugural Ploughlands Legacy Award to such a deserving winner. Andrew has worked tirelessly over the last 20 years to improve and protect Eden’s rivers, especially in the Penrith area, and has encouraged lots of people over the years to take action to make rivers a better place for people and wildlife.”

Andrew Dixon said:

“Being presented with this award was totally unexpected, but a pleasure nonetheless. I’d like to thank everyone who nominated and selected me, it’s very much appreciated. The Ploughlands pollution incident in 1993 was a game-changer for the health of the river, and the emergence of Eden Rivers Trust out of this to champion river health was very important. I’m pleased that, through this award, this incident and the good work that came out of it will always be remembered.”