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13 March 2009
Service of Celebration for Sir Martin Doughty at New Mills Town Hall, High Peak, Derbyshire, 2.00 Friday 13th March
Hundreds of people are expected to gather at New Mills Town Hall on Friday 13th March to celebrate the life and achievement of Sir Martin Doughty, founding Chair of Natural England, who died last week after a long battle with cancer.
Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England said: “His lifelong work was to make sure that the natural environment was conserved, and that everyone should have the right to enjoy it in all its beauty. With his passing, the environmental sector has lost one of its greatest advocates, and nature has lost one of its best friends.”
Sir Roy Hattersley will also pay tribute to the 'man and personal friend', whose lifelong passion for the natural environment, and for increasing and improving people’s access to it, leaves a powerful legacy. From the creation of the local nature reserve and Millennium walkway outside his front door in New Mills in the Peak District, through the opening up of a million hectares of England’s wildest places, to his vision of access to the entire coastline for the nation, Martin was a passionate and determined advocate for people’s right to enjoy England’s rich natural heritage.
Martin had a long and distinguished record of public service as a lecturer in Environmental Management at Sheffield Hallam University, over a decade as leader of Derbyshire County Council, Chair of the Peak District National Park Authority, a Board member of the Countryside Agency, Chair of English Nature and, right up to his death, Chair of Natural England.
The Service of Celebration at New Mills will include photographs of Martin at work, reminiscences by his friend Jon Cohen, and a personal recollection by Helen Phillips of working with Martin (see below). The music for the service was chosen by Martin himself, who is survived by his wife Gill and his daughters, Tessa and Beth.
-Ends-
Notes to Editors
Because of the large numbers of people who have wanted to mark this celebration of Martin’s life and achievements, the service at New Mills Town Hall has had to be restricted to invited guests only. In line with the family’s request, there will not be an opportunity for photography and interviews at the service.
Donations in memory of Martin will go to Marie Curie nurses, Blythe House Hospice at Chapel-en-le-Frith and Ashgate Hospice, Chesterfield. Donations can be made c/o Jeremy Unsworth Funeral Services, 67 Church Road, New Mills, High Peak, SK22 4NU.
For further information:
For more information on Sir Martin Doughty’s life and work, please contact:
Regional media: Melissa Gill, Melissa.gill@naturalengland.org.uk; 0115 900 5311 or 07827 881308
National media: the Natural England press office on 0845 603 9953, press@naturalengland.org.uk, out of hours 07970 098005.
A biography of Sir Martin Doughty (1949 – 2009)
Martin’s passion and clarity of purpose were apparent in his conviction that everyone should have the right to enjoy the beauty of the natural world. In this respect, he followed in his father’s footsteps. Harold Doughty was one of the legendary Manchester Ramblers who left New Mills on April Sunday in 1932, for a mass trespass on Kinder Scout, a forbidden moor near Edale in the Peak District.
Martin always said that if it wasn’t for the bravery and direct action of the Manchester Ramblers, people would not now enjoy the network of national parks provided by the 1949 National Parks and Access the Countryside Act, nor the right to roam that followed in 2000.
Following a career as a lecturer in Environmental Management at Sheffield Hallam University, Martin, from Derbyshire, developed his expertise and interest in nature conservation alongside landscape and access work as Chair of the Peak District National Park Authority.
He held a wide range of key roles in the public and voluntary sectors, including Leader of Derbyshire County Council from 1992 until 2001. Martin was a Board Member for the Countryside Agency (1999 – 2005) and Chair of English Nature before being appointed as Chair of Natural England, a position he held from October 2006 until his death on 4 March 2009.
He was knighted in 2001 for services to local government in Derbyshire and he received Honorary Doctorates from Sheffield Hallam University in 2002, Cranfield University in 2005 and Derby University in 2006.
Sir Martin held office in a number of organisations:
Chair - Torr Vale Mill BP Trust
Vice President - Peak & Northern Footpaths Society and the Arkwright Society
Patron - IEEM and Creswell Heritage Trust
Fellow - Royal Society of Arts
Member - CIWEM, BBC Rural Affairs Committee, Labour Party, RSPB and National Trust, New Mills, Heritage Centre Management Committee and Green Alliance
Tribute by Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England
The full text of the speech to be given by Dr Helen Phillips at the Service of Celebration on 13th March 2009 can be found from 14:00 on 13th March
A selection of Quotes and tributes about Sir Martin Doughty from MPs
The Rt. Hon. Margaret Beckett MP who was the Environment Minister who commissioned The Haskins Report which led to the creation of Natural England.
"I have known Martin for many years since he was leader of Derbyshire County Council. He was a delightful and very hard working person who had earned huge respect across all of the many and diverse groups with whom he worked. His is a tremendous loss."
The Rt. Hon. Alun Michael MP who was the Rural Affairs Minister when the Right to Roam Act came in.
“I was devastated to hear of the death of Sir Martin Doughty who has been one of the outstanding public servants of his generation making a significant contribution at national, regional and local level to local government, to the national parks movement and to the natural heritage of our countryside. He was a personal friend and I enjoyed his wise counsel at its best during my days as a Minister when we walked the hills in his beloved Peak District. He loved nature and the mountains not just for themselves but because of their value to people. He was passionate about engaging young people with all aspects of sustainable development and about improving access to the countryside. He was passionate too about social justice. As a Labour leader, as a conservationist, as a human being and as good friend he will be sadly missed – but his memory should remain with us as a model for public service.”
The Rt. Hon. Angela C Smith MP (Sheffield)
“I got to know Martin when I became a Member of Parliament. He impressed with his confident and sure-footed approach to his role as Chair of Natural England; he was also a pleasure to listen to because he never wasted words – he always knew what he wanted to say and said it succinctly. Martin and I shared a love of the Peak District, and when I’m walking in the Dark Peak I’ll always spare a thought for him and what he achieved for our beloved national park.”
The Rt. Hon. David Drew MP (Stroud) who is Vice Chair of Commons EFRA Select Committee
"I shall always remember Martin as totally committed to the natural environment and a powerful and keen advocate of its importance within government. More than anything he was a true gentleman as well as a genuine socialist who always put other people’s needs first. I shall miss his quiet persuasive charm and his kind demeanour which always shone through."
The Rt. Hon. Paddy Tipping MP (Lab-Sherwood)
"Martin has been a great source of inspiration to me over many years. At Derbyshire County Council, English Nature and then Natural England he showed vision and leadership. He was always there when you needed him – a constant source of advice. What’s more, he wasn’t slow and was adept at getting you to take up a cause he believed in! He leaves a big gap."
The Rt Hon Hilary Benn, MP, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
"Martin was an outstanding public servant, and his loss will be deeply felt by all those who knew him. He founded and led Natural England with distinction, and was passionate in his advocacy of the natural world on which - as he would often say - we ultimately depend.”
