Young Champion Alarick Greenland. Photo: David Rolls ©Mosaic
A group of youngsters will gather this weekend to celebrate their efforts in encouraging people into national parks.
Young Champions from the Mosaic project will join in two days’ activities based at Okehampton Youth Hostel, including mountain biking, horse riding and an art workshop.
The meeting will be attended by 16- to 25-year-olds from communities in Plymouth, Exeter, Bideford, Barnstaple, Bridgwater, Bristol and Taunton who have acted as champions for their peers in promoting visits to Exmoor and Dartmoor national parks.
The Mosaic programme is run by the Campaign for National Parks. The Young Champions will also carry out conservation work on the moors during the weekend.
Young Champion Alarick Greenland said: “It has been a brilliant year. We have achieved so much. I organised an environmental day on Dartmoor. It went so well we have got another planned in a few weeks. I can’t wait to meet the other Young Champions at the reunion weekend.”
CNP chief executive Helen Jackson praised the efforts of the young people, saying: “The enthusiasm and hard work of the Mosaic Young Champions is inspirational; they are now an important part of the national parks movement.”
The celebrations come in the CNP’s 75th year, during which numerous events are being organised with a ‘get into national parks’ theme.
The young people will receive awards from chairs of Dartmoor and Exmoor National Park Authorities, Bill Hitchins and John Dyke respectively.
