The Award celebrates the life and ethos of Jean Cartman, a much-loved member of Northumberland Wildlife Trust for over 40 years, an enthusiastic wildlife gardener, knowledgeable birdwatcher, and generous supporter of environmental causes.

With a top prize of £500 and two runner-up awards of £250, the Award caused a flurry of interest amongst community groups across Northumberland, Newcastle, and North Tyneside.

Award organizers were delighted to receive over thirty applications from groups across Newcastle, Northumberland, and North Tyneside.

The overall winner of the competition was Mind, Body, Planet for their outstanding work creating accessible opportunities for everybody to connect with nature and each other.

Based in Byker, the project brings together a wide range of people to enjoy nature, strengthen community bonds and reduce social isolation via regular activities including gardening sessions, nature walks in local parks and coastal areas, participating in mindfulness sessions outdoors, and completing natural craft activities.

The Save the Planet group enables thirty people with learning disabilities from Newcastle to connect with nature and develop practical environmental skills.

The £500 prize money is most welcome and will be used to urgently upgrade to its community allotment in Byker to make it fully accessible. This will include installing accessible raised beds and improving pathways to ensure the site can be used safely and inclusively. 

Shieldfield Grows was one of two runners up awarded the £250 prize money for their work supporting wellbeing, social connection, and environmental awareness through accessible food growing and nature engagement as well as celebrating cultural and ecological diversity within the community.

Over the past year the team has hosted 31 weekly growing sessions involving 46 participants together with community lunches, skills workshops, children’s sessions, seasonal festivals, and trips to other gardens, as well as developing a wildlife‑friendly garden planted for pollinators, which is open to the public in an area with limited access to green space. 

The £250 prize money will enable the group to purchase trees to support a local house sparrow colony, as well as tools, compost insulation, flower‑arranging materials, tester pots, and educational materials. 

English For All, a small charity supported by three part‑time teachers and fourteen volunteers, was the second project to receive the £250 prize money.

The team works with around 180 learners each year with the learning community including many migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers who face barriers such as poverty, isolation, trauma, and limited access to green spaces.

Over the past year, the team has delivered a range of nature‑based and wellbeing‑focused activities ranging from a climate justice workshop, an educational visit to Bowlees Educational Farm and Low Force Waterfall with Northumberland Wildlife Trust to trips to local parks for picnics and a bioblitz in partnership with ERIC. 

They have also incorporated nature themes into regular classes, using outdoor spaces to support language learning and connection with the local environment. Activities have been designed to be accessible and culturally inclusive, with participants reporting increased confidence, relaxation, and social connection.

The group proposes to use the prize money to expand these nature‑based activities including guided wellbeing walks, visits to local green spaces, and a cyanotype (sun‑printing) workshop. The £250 will also cover transport, materials, and equipment costs to reduce financial barriers and enable safe participation to improve wellbeing, reduce isolation and encourage creative engagement with nature, whilst at the same time strengthening community bonds.

Leo Hargreaves, Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s Nextdoor Nature Officer says:

“The Jean Cartman Wilder Communities Award is more than just financial support, it is a wonderful celebration of grassroots action and a reminder that small, local efforts can lead to big change for people and the planet!

“We are so grateful to Mrs Cartman’s family and friends for generously donating the prize money and providing a lasting legacy to such a wonderful supporter of wildlife and conservation.”