Back in 1990 Phil Gray, the then Countryside Manager for the Greater York Countryside Project which advised on the green environment for many of the District Councils around, and then including, York asked the York Natural Environment Trust (YNET) to look at a piece of land. He’d been approached by Sustrans on the basis that the National Rivers Authority would only permit them to put a cycle track through from York to Beningbrough if it was managed as a nature reserve. The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust weren’t interested in urban sites so much then so he asked a relatively new campaign group to do it with his assistance. That site became Rawcliffe Meadows. In February 2015 Phil left a comment on this web site.

“I took time out during a recent visit to York to have a walk through Rawcliffe Meadows – beautiful, even in winter. Made me think about the very early days when it was an overgrazed mess of muddy puddles and about 3 acres of nettles! What a joy to see it now – Bob Edwards would have been proud. I still remember the farmer who came to bale the first hay crop – I think he thought we were barking mad! Anyway, that all changed now and congratulations to the Friends for the great job you do. It’s definitely worth it. Best wishes Phil Gray”

Phil, Judi and Mick collecting Golden Sheaf Award in 1994