Colin Plant

Colin was co-founder of the Wren Conservation Group in 1974, which was a group of youngsters that carried out remarkable natural history and conservation work in Wanstead Park in East London, and their recording area included Wanstead Flats and Gilbert’s Slade in the immediate area of the BNA 2007 Conference location. Colin edited, then co-edited with Brian Seaman a series of reports on the bird life of the area over a number of years. (The Wren Conservation Group continues until today, and mounted a display at the BNA 2007 Conference). Colin is a prodigious field naturalist, and became London Recorder for Lepidoptera, Diptera and Neuropteroidea for the LNHS, Hertfordshire county Recorder for Lepidoptera, and National Advisor and Referee for Neuroptera for the Amateur Entomologists Society, and National Referee and Recorder for Lacewings for the National Biological Recording Scheme. He is a past President of the British Entomological Society, the London Natural History Society and of the Essex Field Club, past Biological Curator of the Passmore Edwards Museum in Stratford, East London. He has compiled and written a number of natural history books including: Birds of Newham Butterflies of the London Area Larger Moths of the London Area Provisional Atlas of the Lacewings and Allied Insects of Britain and Ireland A Key to Adults of British Lacewings and their Allies The Natural History of Buckingham Palace Gardens He has been the editor of The Essex Naturalist since 1996 and of the Entomologist Record from 1995.

Alan Major

Alan Major has been a strong and active supporter of the BNA for over 50 years. Born in 1929 in Gillingham, he spent his childhood around the North Kent estuarine marshes. He studied at Rochester Art School and joined the mid Kent branch of the BNA in 1947. He is the author of numerous rural and natural history articles and books including “Collecting & Studying Mushrooms, Toadstools and Fungi” (Bartholomew & Sons 1975).

Arguably his most significant contribution to the BNA was the support he gave to Will Coxhead in the re-creation of Will’s comprehensive collection of botanical illustrations, after his first collection had been destroyed by an incendiary bomb.

While still a student, Alan came across a copy of the BNA magazine “Country-Side” containing a plea from Will for help in obtaining botanical specimens. Alan collected specimens for Will in response to this request until the end of the 1950’s, even while he was in the RAF, when he was able to extend Will’s collection to plants from Barnack and other areas near to his Northampton posting. Alan regarded Will as a father figure, and has said that he will always be grateful to him for having taught him botany and for encouraging him to paint and to write natural history articles and books.

Alan’s support helped Will to develop a new collection of over 1000 illustrations. This collection has now been bequeathed to the BNA and formed one of the high points of the BNA’s Centenary Conference, when a selection was exhibited at the Braintree District Museum. Click here for more information on the Coxhead Bequest. This impressive result would not have been possible without Alan’s dedicated help over a lengthy period of time.

Recipients of the David Bellamy Award:

2007: Colin Plant
2006: Alan Major
2005: Mr. Chris Doncaster
2004: Mrs.Yvonne Griffiths
2003 Mr. Tom Thomas
2002 Dr June Chatfield
2001 Mr Trevor Beer
2000 no presentation this year
1999 Miss Doris Hutchings