The 2020 Annual Awards were held virtually due to Covid 19 restrictions.

The Medal is awarded to a member of staff who has gone beyond the ‘call of duty’ in their role.

Congratulations Gina from everyone at WTSWW!

On the 26th November 2020, The Wildlife Trusts held their annual awards and prize-giving ceremony to recognise and celebrate those people from within the movement that make a real difference to UK wildlife and wild places day in, day out. The event this year was held virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions. The awards included the Christopher Cadbury Medal, the Dame Mary Smieton Award and the Storytelling Award. 

The Christopher Cadbury Medal has been awarded annually starting in 1990. Named in recognition of Christopher Cadbury, our President from 1962- 1968, the medal recognises volunteers who have made an outstanding contribution to both nature conservation and The Wildlife Trusts. Every three years an additional medal is awarded to a member of staff who has gone beyond the ‘call of duty’ in their role to the Trusts and our mission.

We are absolutely delighted to announce that the 2020 staff Christopher Cadbury Medal was awarded to Gina Gavigan, WTSWW's Marketing and Development Manager!

"The Society is pleased to award the 2020 Staff Medal to Gina Gavigan, from The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales in recognition of her commitment and contribution to nature conservation and The Wildlife Trusts.

The challenge of Covid in 2020 has shown us the vital importance of good communications and communicators, and Gina is one of the best. When The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales was left reeling from loss of income, Gina’s talent, commitment, creativity and energy kicked in, despite having no budget and despite her Communications Officer being furloughed.

Her powers of persuasion brought the support of celebrities and social media influencers like Iolo Willams and Lizzie Daly and they developed an instantly popular, weekly Facebook show about Skomer. The online fundraising appeal linked to this reached a wide audience, and support from the likes of David Gray who dedicated a song to Skomer. The profile of the show helped bring in sufficient donations to keep the Trust safe. Gina achieved this whilst responding in a timely and professional way to increased media and marketing work and whilst telling her own social media badger wildlife story.

This award is for Gina Gavigan, a dynamo who in the midst of this crisis, found a new lease of creative life online and whose positive attitude has kept us all going through 2020." Peta Foxall, Chair of The Wildlife Trusts.

The Christopher Cadbury Medal is sponsored by the Sarnia Charitable Trust.