John Booth, from team ‘Tri-ers’, was awarded the Biodiversity Challenge trophey by Cumbria Wildilfe Trust’s Kendal Support Group member Colin Norman today (1 September).

Mr Booth and his team spotted 104 species and were declaired the winner, and they also raised £52 for the work of Cumbria Wildlife Trust. Mr Booth said: “We headed all round Kendal from Vicarage Drive, down to Gooseholme, back up along the river and then over to Maudes Meadow. I was very surprised to find a lady’s slipper orchid along the footpath between the river and Stramongate School. I went back three days later and the flower had already died – they don’t last long.”

The event in May saw teams of Kendal folk take to the street to look for our illusive wildlife and record everything they see between 6am and 6pm. Flowers, birds, bees and trees could all be recorded. Mr Booth continued: “All the wildlife was just coming out for spring so we were able to see birds and flowers, and the trees were coming into leaf and so we could identify them. Sadly, it wasn’t sunny on the day so we saw very few insects.”

Overall the Biodiversity Challenge raised £89.90 for Cumbria Wildlife Trust. Colin Norman, a member and volunteer, organised the event and said: “This is our first Biodiversity Challenge but we are running it as an annual event and so hope people will take part next year. There are various categories, so people with little or lots of knowledge can take part and we particularly would like children to do some wildlife spotting.