Campaigners celebrate a century of campaigning for the countryside

Environmental campaigners from across Berkshire gathered last week at Englefield near Theale to celebrate 100 years of countryside protection. The annual meeting of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Berkshire Branch, was held in the Long Gallery of Englefield House, by kind permission of The Rt Hon Lord Benyon.

At the meeting, Branch members welcomed their new President, Willie Hartley Russell MVO DL, and new Vice-President, Clive Williams OBE, and elected a new Branch Chairman, Henry Oliver (Director of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape). The Manager of the Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy, Rosie Street, gave a presentation about the forthcoming publication of the Strategy. Among those in attendance at the meeting was the Chairman of West Berkshire Council, Cllr Tony Vickers.

The keynote speech at this year’s meeting was made by the national chief executive of CPRE, Roger Mortlock, who spoke about the centenary of CPRE and the charity’s plans for a series of major events and activities, including an exhibition at the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) in Reading, which will run from February to May 2026.

CPRE was formed in 1926 and has played a key role in championing our countryside and securing political changes to protect rural England, including the creation of green belts, national parks, and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Despite these protections, a growing population and increasing development pressures mean that 100 years after CPRE was formed the English countryside is facing new threats. That’s why CPRE’s work is more important than ever. CPRE is working hard to protect our green spaces, unique landscapes, and rural tranquillity, but the key, said Roger Mortlock, is to get the balance right.

“Our countryside is a priceless national resource,” he told the meeting. “But we must challenge the idea that you are either a builder or a blocker. We agree that we need more affordable homes to keep our villages alive, and to meet housing waiting lists, but this doesn’t mean we have to concrete over our countryside.”

CPRE research shows that there are enough brownfield sites in England to meet nearly all of the government’s housebuilding targets. For more information on CPRE’s campaigns to protect Berkshire’s countryside, go to  http://www.cpreberkshire.org.uk

-ENDS