Feature Articles - Campaign to Protect Rural England
Champions of the countryside
Cathy Luffman says the countryside continues to face a multitude of threats.
by Cathy Luffman, campaigns and development officer for the Derbyshire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England
I KNOW the charity name - the Campaign to Protect Rural England - is a bit of a mouthful and conjures up images to some of seasoned protesters lying down in front of bulldozers, or at the other end of the spectrum, it may be that some of you may suspect the CPRE as a middle-class charity with a 'not in my back yard' approach to any sort of building or planning enterprise.
Firstly, let me dispel those images and tell you what we are about and why the organisation is really important to you and your community.
We are one of the longest-established and most respected environmental groups, influencing policy and raising awareness ever since we were founded in 1926. Our patron is Her Majesty the Queen and our current president is Bill Bryson.
The continued existence and quality of so much of the English landscape is a testament to our 82 years of successful campaigning.
CPRE led the campaign to create the town and country planning system, National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) and Green Belts. Even so, the countryside continues to face a multitude of threats.
CPRE campaigns to protect and enhance our landscape heritage for the benefit of all. Our work focuses on landscape, planning and development; farming and food and the development of sustainable energies which work with and enhance the character of the local landscape.
I will be appealing to all those who belong to local parish councils and guilds, walking, climbing, gardening and conservation groups as well as to the general public who, like me, want to ensure we do not lose the beautiful Derbyshire countryside on our doorstep.
Volunteering with CPRE for just a couple of hours a month will help us protect it for generations to come.
If you would like to find out more, please contact me on 01283 520042 or email Cathyl@Scioconsulting.co.uk. Our national website is www.cpre.org.uk
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