Support us from £3/month
We deal with almost 1000 cases a year assisting communities, groups and individuals in protecting their local spaces and paths in all parts of England and Wales. Can you help us by joining as a member?
We have appointed Ken Sharp as our local correspondent for West Lancashire and parts of Merseyside.
Ken will be our watchdog here, keeping a close eye on paths, commons, greens, and open spaces. He will cover West Lancashire District, Knowsley, Liverpool City, St Helen’s Borough, and Sefton Metropolitan Borough.
We’re pleased to be welcoming Ken Sharp as our new advocate in the north west.
Following a 38-year career in information technology, Ken retired to West Cornwall and took up voluntary work supporting young people. But appalled with the poor state of the public paths he joined Ramblers in 2016 and campaigned as a volunteer rights-of-way officer in the far South West, a role he continues still to fulfil with local support. This has enabled him develop a substantial knowledge in rights of way and in working with local government.
Two years ago he moved to Ormskirk to be nearer to his family. Now fully established there he is able to apply this knowledge on behalf of the Open Spaces Society in this part of the country.
Says Ken: ‘I am delighted to be appointed as a local correspondent for the Open Spaces Society and to continue to use my experience as a campaigner for paths and open spaces.
‘With local authorities slashing their spending on public paths and countryside access, the work of the society has never been more important. On our highly-populated island access to nature and the countryside is greatly undervalued and starved of resources. We need to ensure that our public-path network and green spaces are maintained for people to enjoy and use freely, as is their right, and to take legal action where the law is being broken. I look forward to commencing my new role.’
Says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary: ‘It is excellent that Ken has joined our team of local correspondents, and provides us with much-needed coverage in north-west England. He will champion public access and help to ensure that people can exercise their rights to enjoy paths and open spaces, while helping to protect these precious assets from hostile development. We shall benefit greatly from Ken’s expertise and enthusiasm.’
Header image: Andrew Hall