Residents and the family owners of a park homes estate near Cockermouth are celebrating after receiving a major environmental accolade for their work to protect the natural world.
Nepgill Residential Park was named this autumn as a winner of the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation award at its top gold level.
It also received three extra commendations from the world-famous botanist for protecting honey bees, managing its hedgerow habitats, and planting wild flowers.
Owned by Kevin and Marcia Morgan for the past 30 years, Nepgill was selected for the award following an in-depth audit by David Bellamy’s wildlife assessors.
The nine-acre park, said Professor Bellamy, was fully deserving of the honour thanks to a long list of green initiatives taken by the couple with the support of park residents.
Nepgill’s 56 park homes are set in picturesque landscaped grounds which residents share with colonies of red squirrels, roe deer and a raft of other wildlife.
The park also boasts a wide variety of different bird species, supported by the many bird and owl boxes installed by the park and by residents in their gardens.
Over the years, Kevin and Marcia have planted hundreds of native trees and shrubs which have created additional habitats and food resources for wildlife.
Professor Bellamy made special mention of the large areas of wild flower plantings which provide vital foraging for endangered honey bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
He praised too the couple’s management of the park’s wildlife pond which acts as a magnet for water fowl, amphibians and other aquatic species.
According to Marcia Morgan, credit for the gold David Bellamy award deserves to be shared with everyone who lives on the park:
“Many of our residents chose Nepgill as their home because of its unspoiled tranquil surroundings, and everyone here shares a love of the natural world,” she said.
“There’s also great enthusiasm among residents to play their part in helping to safeguard wildlife, so we’re never short of ideas or offers of help and support for our work.
“We consider ourselves very privileged to live and work in such a beautiful corner of Cumbria, and it’s great to know we are being supported by someone like David Bellamy,” added Marcia.
Marcia said that future plans include more tree planting and wild flower sowing, and the installation of traditional honey bee hives in a quiet corner of the park grounds.
There is more information about the park on its website at www.nepgillpark.com
