Field Studies Council recognised at Shrewsbury Mayor’s Awards

An outdoor residential centre has been recognised at this year’s Shrewsbury Mayor’s Awards for its long-standing commitment to environmental education and its work to enhance green spaces.

Preston Montford, located at Montford Bridge, is one of 12 outdoor education centres across the UK run by the Field Studies Council.

The centre, which also acts at the charity’s national headquarters, welcomes hundreds of school and university students each year for outdoor learning residentials and environmental fieldwork.

In 2025, more than 4,000 students from 108 different schools visited the 12-hectare site and more recently the centre launched its +Adventure programme to encourage more young people to connect with nature and the outdoors.

In addition to supporting young learners, staff and tutors at the centre run conservation projects to engage local communities and last year more than 500 trees were planted in the grounds to boost biodiversity.

Volunteers also took part in re-wilding efforts across the estate and the removal of invasive species.

Molly Haywood, the education support assistant at Preston Montford and Lizzie Meadows, senior tutor, attended the 2026 ceremony at Shrewsbury Town Football Club to receive the Environmental Award from Mayor Councillor Alex Wagner.

Molly said: “It’s a real privilege to see our work with local schools, adults and volunteers in Shrewsbury recognised. At Preston Montford we see first-hand how outdoor experiences spark curiosity and inspire young people to build a lifelong connection with the environment – one that encourages them to protect it for future generations. We’re grateful to everyone who has supported our mission to make nature accessible and look forward to welcoming more visitors to our centre.”

Some of the UK’s most deprived young people have been given access to Shropshire’s picturesque and nature-rich landscapes as a result of the charity’s involvement in national programmes such as Generation Green 2. The charity also works in partnership with schools county-wide to provide outdoor learning programmes to support dis-engaged learners and reduce exclusion rates.

In February this year, a new +Adventure programme was rolled out to schools with Preston Montford being one of just three centres operated by Field Studies Council to offer adventure learning packages for schools.

For more information visit https://www.field-studies-council.org/adventure-residential-trips/

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Editors notes

The Field Studies Council is an educational charity based in the UK. It opened its first Field Centre in 1947 at Flatford Mill, and now operates 20 Field Centres in various locations in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland offering both residential and non-residential field courses.