August 2025 director for Environment Interest Group: Dai Richards
“We are passionate about the superb environment in the Morpeth area, and believe we have made a significant impact over many years. If you are interested in helping, please get in touch.”
The Environment Group works to identify and develop environmental projects and activity in Morpeth and its surrounding areas. Lobbying of appropriate organisations is another important role when environmental issues have been identified, such as a problem with a public footpath, woods, watercourses, or signage / interpretation boards erected by the Trust. In our early years we picked up the Castles, Woods & Water project from Castle Morpeth Borough Council, carrying out major environmental improvements in the Wansbeck Valley between Mitford and Bothal, some of these now require either maintenance or full replacement. See Signage Project for our 2023/24 Trial (silver medallists in Love Northumberland awards 2025 – best Urban category), Signage 2024/25 and plans for 2025/26.
The group also lends support to others implementing environmental projects in the area, such as local schools, Morpeth Town Council which manages Britain and Northumbria In Bloom, and Morpeth Flood Action Group. All our projects aim to improve the Morpeth area for both the community and visitors to the town.
We support Northumberland County Council in any activity required to help fight littering, plants which are not indigenous to Britain and other – see our GMDT – Library project working in partnership with NCC’s Morpeth Library and staff.
2025 Morpeth Litter Group continues to carry out further community litter picks, many volunteers are involved in the successful ‘Adopt a Street’ initiative where volunteers support our lovely town by picking up litter in a nominated area on a regular basis. If you would like to get involved please email info@gmdt.org.
GMDT is progressing a series of landscaping improvements at Morpeth Railway Station in partnership with Morpeth Lions, Morpeth Rotary, and Morpeth Litter Group. Below are the initial photos taken in the placement of new flower beds within railway sleeper planters at the front of the station, surrounded by bright gravel to keep the weeds at bay. Go to the Station Landscape Front page to see the colourful display in 2024 and 2025 – plus photos of the new Landscape area for the ground where the temporary Ticket Office was located.
In Autumn 2022, the same partners cut back bushes and planted 3,000 new spring bulbs alongside the pathway leading down from the northbound station platform towards Morpeth town centre. Additional planting took place in 2023 and general maintenance in 2024, this has reduced the scale of littering in this area and many rail travellers and town visitors have appreciated the new floral display.
In January 2024 a full audit of the information boards around the town was completed, assessing their condition. This has enabled Morpeth Town Council to complete maintenance of some signs, for the Mafeking Roundabout Information board a full replacement was necessary. In 2024 working in partnership with KEVI school teacher Sheila Clark and her Environment students we have delivered the 1st tranche of new Information Boards : St Marys Church Yard – Lych Gate, St Marys Churchyard – Notable Morpethians, St Marys Church Yard – War Graves, Lord Collingwood’s Board in High Stanners and the new William Turner board in Carlisle Park. This team won the silver award at NCC’s 2025 Love Northumberland’s Awards – so well deserved. See also Aug-Sept edition of Inside Morpeth magazine – available on the right side of this page.
Please visit our GMDT Volunteers page for further information.
Index to Sub Groups
- Railway Station Landscaping
- Carlisle Park Steps aka Black steel of Bells – held in abeyance at this time
- Tree Planting
- ‘Birds of the Wansbeck Valley’
- Bluebell Woods / Local Green spaces / Managing Local Footpaths
- GMDT – Library – Leisure Centre garden
- Signage / Interpretation
- Partnerships: Morpeth Litter Group