PACE Manningtree Wins Prestigious National Landscape Award
The Robert Erith National Landscape Award 2025 recognises the outstanding work of the PACE Water Quality Team in helping to protect the River Stour. The award, given annually by the Dedham Vale National Landscape and Stour Valley Partnership, celebrates exceptional contributions to conserving and enhancing the National Landscape and Stour Valley. In 2025, the judging panel voted unanimously for PACE, praising the team’s commitment to monitoring the river month after month, in all weathers, for over three years.
Armed with waders, nets and sampling bottles, 15 volunteers from PACE check the river at five sites between Langham and Dedham. The records we collect are like an early-warning system — they show where pollution is affecting wildlife and where it could put the river and its users at risk.
The River Stour, at the heart of Dedham Vale, faces pressures familiar to other rivers across the UK — sewage spills, agricultural run-off and road pollution. PACE’s monitoring flags up pollution incidents, so that professional ecologists from the Environment Agency can come out to take action. The group also partners with the University of Essex to track the levels of harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Enterococcus which can cause stomach upsets for swimmers, paddleboarders and other river users.
Cllr James Finch, Chairman of Dedham Vale National Landscape Partnership said:
“PACE’s Water Quality Team is an outstanding example of what dedicated volunteers can achieve. Their work is invaluable for the long-term health of the Stour and a real benefit to the communities and wildlife of this National Landscape.”
The presentation of the Award took place on 26 September 2025 on the bank of the River Stour at Dedham. Then the group embarked on the electric-powered boat, Maria Constable, operated by the River Stour Trust, a beautiful, peaceful trip to Flatford and back, during which there were excellent sitings of the azure-blue Kingfisher, other riverine wildlife and various heritage features.
PACE Wins the King’s Award​​
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The fantastic news is that PACE Manningtree has won the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. On the announcement of the King’s Award, John Hall, Chair of Trustees of PACE commented on BBC Essex, “Receiving the KAVS is fantastic recognition for the PACE Trustees, for the hundreds of local volunteers who contribute to PACE’s work and for our whole community here on the Stour Estuary”.
2024 marks the second year of the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, previously the Queens Award. Recipients are announced annually on The King’s Birthday. There are 7 other Award winners in 2024 in Essex and 281 Awards across the whole of the UK covering a wonderfully diverse range of volunteer groups. Representatives of PACE Manningtree will receive the Award Crystal and Certificate from Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, the Lord Lieutenant of Essex. In addition, two volunteers will represent PACE Manningtree at a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace in 2025 along with other recipients of this year’s Awards. This is the highest Award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE for the charity.
The Assessment Panel for the King’s Award came to Manningtree in the Spring to meet PACE Trustees and volunteers and see some of our work. The Panel followed the PACE story from formation in 2019 when local volunteers started meeting in the Red Lion, through to work on positive, practical projects in the local area which make a difference to our community; and the registration of PACE as a charity. We showcased a few of the PACE projects: the hugely popular Manningtree Earth Festival which last year attracted over 3000 people; practical field trips with local schools to inform the children and support the teaching staff on environmental topics; PACE volunteers were trained to take monthly samples from the River Stour to test pollution levels – a hot topic around the country; Wildlife Garden open Days which have been run in Lawford for several years; and the “40 Ways to Reduce your Carbon Footprint” designed by PACE.
Halford Hewitt, a PACE Trustee in Lawford said “The climate and environment crises can make people feel overwhelmed and powerless but keeping projects local and practical means that everyone can see the difference they are making. Thank you to everyone who has supported PACE in so many different ways. We really appreciate your support”.
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PACE wins 2024 BBC Make a Difference Award
PACE Manningtree was nominated in 2024 for this Award and 4 PACE volunteers went up to Hatfield Place in Hatfield Peverel in September to the Award ceremony.
There were 4 Nominations in our Green Category and, following the reception and dinner, head judge and TV presenter Susie Fowler-Watt announced that PACE was the Winner.
Our volunteers, (Left to right in the photo, Lucy Redman, Sarah Harrison, Bob Rowles and Jim Sumberg) went up on stage to receive this prestigious Award from the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Jennifer Tolhurst.
This is great recognition for PACE and the work of all its volunteers and supporters. We were also pleased that the Manningtree Mermaids received “Highly Commended” in the same category.
