Peterborough's Railworld Wildlife Haven wins prestigious national environmental award

Railworld Wildlife Haven has won a prestigious national award.

Railworld, located just off Oundle Road, is a site for nature and wildlife as well as a museum dedicated to the history of rail.

The project has been honoured with the Sustainable Project of the Year at the Museums and Heritage Awards, beating off stiff competition from the likes of the Natural History Museum as well as projects from across the world, including Egypt, the Netherlands, USA and Australia.

The award recognised Railworld’s ongoing commitment to the planet as well as the “incredible vision and dedication” of its founders and volunteers.

The project is entirely volunteer run and has charity status. It was started in 1985 by Revered Richard Paton who over the years purchased over 16 acres of inner-city land at a derelict former coal yard, creating all the vision and tenacity to pursue the site’s environmental dream and improving the local biodiversity and habitat.

It is now home to over 300 species of flora and fauna as well as three Victorian Aqueducts from the 1840’s, re-purposed as pedestrian bridges, as well as a number of repurposed artefacts including car park barrier gate drives modified into a 2.5m globe, Street lights, bike racks, old city centre signs and thousands of slabs donated from the city centre.

The site has also been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and volunteer Brian Pearce has received an MBE from Prince William for over 50 years of ‘Voluntary Service to the Community and Environment.’

The site was also recently visited by the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward.

Trustee Brian Pearce said: “Our Wildlife Haven is primarily a habitat creation programme, however, its deeper purpose is to emphasise the important links between our man-made world’ and our natural world.

"Alongside the haven is our ‘Globe Hall Earth Centre’, used to entertain and educate’ with hands-on activities in environmental subjects, from climate change to Co2 emissions and a future low carbon economy to our global population growth.

"Volunteers have had a positive chance to contribute to our city. Our work at the Railworld Wildlife Haven is certainly varied but it’s a project where we can all share the excitement and enjoyment of seeing people, groups, companies and individuals work together for a common cause, looking after our amazing planet we all call our home.

"People call it a hidden gem, we get visitors from all over the world which is great for our aim, which was to create a place that was exciting and intriguing to learn about our amazing planet.

"Our volunteers are so proud to bring this incredible award back to our city of Peterborough.”