The countryside charity Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Lancs, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester celebrated its 100th anniversary with a special tribute to one of its green spaces campaigners.
The CPRE 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 2026 at Ainsdale Discovery Centre.
Lindsay Beaton, Chair of the regional charity said:
“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 said;
“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/
About CPRE Lancashire, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester
CPRE is the countryside charity, representing Lancashire, the Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester. They work with communities, businesses and government to protect, promote and enhance our towns and countryside to make them better places to live, work and enjoy, and to ensure the countryside and vital urban green spaces are protected for now and future generations.
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