We launched in 1984 as an autonomous local group within the then 'British Trust for Conservation Volunteers', now renamed The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), of which we are an associate member.
We are one of 2,000 community groups in the TCV Community Network (www.tcv.org.uk). Our membership of enthusiastic volunteers has worked consistently and effectively for 37 years to improve the quality of the local environment for community benefit. As members of The Conservation Volunteers' Community Network, LDCV follows their environmental policy:
Vision: A better environment where people are valued, included and involved;
Mission: To invest in sustainable futures by inspiring people to improve places;
Outcomes: A better environment, environmentally active citizens,
improved health and wellbeing, and skills for the future.
TCV and before it the BTCV have been reclaiming green places since 1959.
The everyday green places that people see and use are in danger of being lost to development or degraded in environmental quality as budgets are squeezed and pressures on space and natural resources increase. Help us to take some responsibility for local environments and make places better.
CARE ABOUT IT
PLAN FOR IT
MANAGE IT
Towards the end of 1984, Pete Walton gathered together a group of enthusiastic people, tools and transport and organised a programme of tasks. The first workday was on 1 January 1985, planting gorse bushes on the newly acquired saltmarsh of RSPB's Leighton Moss. A very cold day, and the ground frozen, the surface had to be scraped before the bushes could be planted in the soft soil underneath.
In the early years Pete had a small van to carry all the tools and volunteers used their cars to give lifts to other fortnightly work sites. They worked regularly: coppicing at Gait Barrows in winter; working on projects for schools with Landlife which at that time had an organisation in Lancaster; working for the AONB officers in the Forest of Bowland and Arnside/Silverdale doing coppicing, walling, tree and hedge planting; and even doing occasional work at such sites as Cranwell Avenue in Bowerham, and St John's Primary School in Galgate. There was a membership of between 15 and 20 in those first 5 or 6 years, although turn-outs were usually 7 or 8. They also had close links with BTCV in Preston and their Field Officer, Dave McGrath, which was a great help to them. Pete says, "I remember that things became much more organised when Liz and David became involved and it is incredible how much valuable work has been done since that time".
Later the group joined with the Arnside and Silverdale AONB for the use of their minibus and pick-ups in Morecambe were from the Central Pier. Eventually we had our own D reg minibus which was later replaced by our J reg Land Rover. We changed vehicles at the Torver garage in 1995 and 2019!
The photo in black and white (courtesy of the Morecambe Visitor) shows Mayor Jean Yates in the driving seat at Torrisholme School. Founders of the group, Dave and Pete are on the bonnet, with Laurie also in the picture. The next picture shows the Landrover nearly 15 years later. It had done a sterling job by April 2019, carefully looked after by the Alexanders but our stalwart Land Rover Defender was proving very costly to keep running. We have now moved to a Land Rover Discovery, which is rather more comfortable but still with lots of space. It has our logo and contact details on the side so look out for us on our regular worksites.
Scroll through the pictures using the arrows.