The Jim Grogan Award 2024

Phoebe Allen, Winner of the Jim Grogan Award 2024

From The Tarvin Community Woodland Trust ....

The Jim Grogan Award 2024

This year's recipient is Phoebe Allen.

Jim Grogan came to live in Tarvin during the war and grew up in the village before it started to grow to the size it is today. His childhood was spent exploring the fields, hedges, lanes, woods and ponds that surrounded the village and he developed a countryman's understanding of wildlife and nature which never left him. He was especially concerned that young people should learn about nature and wildlife, so that they would be able to understand the importance of the environment and all of the living things that inhabit it. When he was beginning to develop Tarvin Community Woodland, he wanted to involve the young people in the school in what was being done and his ambition was to have an award for the school, to be presented annually, that would recognise the qualities and achievements of the school student who had shown the greatest breadth of knowledge and the best understanding of the animals and plants that make up the immediate environment of Tarvin School and Tarvin Village.

Sadly, Jim died before such an award could be created. However, the then Trustees decided that such an award would be set up in Jim's honour, as the "Jim Grogan Countryside and Wildlife Award", with each year's recipient receiving a plaque and a book token, as well as a certificate. Simultaneously, a hand-made book was created, with one page for each of the 125 years of the lease that the Trust had been given for the woodland. Each page would bear the citation for the child who was that year's recipient, so that, in time, it would form a document which would form a part of the history of both the school and the village. The Grogan family subsequently sponsored the creation of a beautiful hand-made display cabinet for the book, so that it can be permanently on display at the school entrance. The book then remains open on display at the page for this year's recipient for the whole of the next year.

This year marks the fourteenth time that the award has been made and this year's recipient is Phoebe Allen. Her award was presented to her by the Trust Secretary at a special whole-school assembly held on Tuesday, 16th July. In his citation, Mr Andy Davies, the Head Teacher said that Phoebe is a wonderful advocate for wildlife and the protection of our outdoor environment, having a good understanding of the need to protect our plants, animals and trees. She shows great concern for any exhausted creatures she comes across and is always prepared to speak up when she feels that something or some happening is not right. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of nature with her family, friends and classmates and encourages others to be as concerned about their environment as is she. Phoebe well-deserves her place in the memorial book and the Woodland Trustees hope that she enjoys spending her book token

Well done, Phoebe!