CPRE marks 100th birthday with Ainsdale celebration and new memorial panel

Mayor of Sefton joins countryside charity's 100th birthday in Ainsdale and unveils new panel dedicated to Formby countryside champion 

The countryside charity CPRE Lancs, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester works to protect, shape and enhance green spaces for everyone.  This year, the charity turned 100 and the Mayor of Sefton, Cllr Jennifer Corcoran, joined them with long-term supporters and locals to celebrate with tea and cake on Saturday 19th September at Ainsdale Discovery Centre. 

Lindsay Beaton, Chair of the regional charity comments:  

“We're marking a century of memories, and the afternoon had a fantastic community atmosphere as we toasted to 100 fabulous years and the local people who have helped to protect our countryside over the years.” 

A permanent CPRE information panel was unveiled by the Mayor of Sefton to commemorate all the achievements across the region to protect the countryside and local green spaces.  

The panel was dedicated to the late Dr Desmond Brennan, a retired Liverpool University chemistry lecturer from Formby who tirelessly fought to save our green spaces and provided vital scientific support to the anti-fracking campaign. After the Government withdrew support for fracking in November 2019, Des was awarded CPRE’s Countryside Medal; he sadly passed away in 2024, and the CPRE panel has been erected in his memory.  

Jackie Copley – Director of Planning for the CPRE and a former local planning officer in the region paid tribute to Des’s passion for doing the right thing and making sure the ‘facts’ were presented properly so that positive decisions could be made to protect the local countryside.  

Lindsay adds; “We’re very proud of what local campaigners have achieved in protecting our countryside and coastline over the last century – from stopping fracking and the Rimrose Valley development to planting new hedgerows across the region and protecting our coastline.” 

CPRE also announced plans to include the coastal path as part of the National Lottery funded 200-mile LCR Ringway – a new cycle and walking route. The LCR Ringway will form a looped route connecting all Liverpool City Region’s six local authority areas – Liverpool, Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral and Halton – and parts of west Cheshire, Warrington and west Lancashire, taking walkers and cyclists through some of the region’s most distinctive landscapes and heritage sites.  

The charity is also looking for new volunteers to support its work across the region – acting as eyes and ears for any planning proposals that could impact the local countryside or greenbelt and agricultural land. For more information visit: https://www.cprelancashire.org.uk/