Karen Bradley MP for Staffordshire Moorlands pledged to 'value our natural heritage' this week after meeting local nature conservation organisation Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) at the House of Commons. The event was held to highlight the value of funding nature and its recovery and included a number of Wildlife Trust projects funded by HLF around the UK.
Karen said
"It was great to hear how HLF funded Wildlife Trust projects have brought benefits to local wildlife and people. I've been to vist the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and learn about the work they do in the Roaches and Churnet Valley for example. It shows the value of investing in the natural environment, and it is exactly the right thing to do with lottery money."
Stephanie Hilborne OBE, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts hosted the event. He said: "We warmly welcome the support that HLF has given to The Wildlife Trusts over 16 years. And we welcome the support shown by parliamentarians. With an uncertain economic future, we look forward to funding streams that protect and restore nature continuing."
Carole Souter CBE, Chief Executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund, explained that the Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded around £100million towards Wildlife Trust projects over 16 years so that people can learn about, conserve and protect our incredible natural heritage.
The HLF is consulting on lottery funding for heritage, asking people to tell us what they think its priorities should be, what it should continue to do, and what it should do differently. Visit www.hlf.org.uk/consultation2011 by 26 April to register your views.
Karen is pictured with Guy Corbett Marshall of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.