Local Man Gets National Award for Protecting Badgers

Published on: 19 May, 2023
Updated on: 19 May, 2023

The John Taylor Award for outstanding services to badgers 2023. Pictured l-r Carol Taylor, Ray Ings, 2023 award recipient Dave Williams, Peter Hambly executive director of Badger Trust

A Puttenham man has been recognised for his “outstanding services to badgers”.

Dave Williams of the West Surrey Badger Group was presented with the John Taylor Award for outstanding services dedication and commitment to badgers at the Badger Trust AGM in Coventry on May 13.

John Taylor © Carol Taylor

The annual award is named after John Taylor, a tireless champion of badgers and one of the founding members and a cornerstone of the National Federation of Badger Groups (NFBG), which later became the Badger Trust.

Dave Williams, the first recipient of the award is said to have “…worked to save badgers and protect their spaces for decades, both on the ground and through his involvement with local badger groups and the Badger Trust”.

Peter Hambly, Executive Director of Badger Trust, said: “Dave’s tireless commitment to badgers will inspire badger champions everywhere. Over many decades, Dave has saved so many badgers through his hard work and dedication to this incredible creature; so it is fitting that the first John Taylor Award goes to him.”

John Taylor’s wife Carol and Ray Ings, another founder of the NFBG, presented Dave with the award in front of affiliated badger groups from across England and Wales.