Green man Tom Oliver's praise for Heath and Hampstead Society

Published: 17 June 2010
by TOM FOOT

ONE of the country’s leading environmen­talists has paid tribute to members of a charity that protects Hampstead and the Heath.

Tom Oliver, head of policy at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said the character shown by members of the Heath and Hampstead Society reflected the “glories” of where they live.

He told the Heath and Hampstead Society annual meeting on Monday: “Places are kept beautiful by the people that have the golden thread of quality running through them.”

Mr Oliver compared the variety of sights, sounds and smells in Hampstead to an anthology of poetry, adding: “It is a wonderful thing that we have people who count how many toadstools we had last year.”

He said it was important to keep up the fight against the “metaphorical Blitz of redevelopment” and that, in the absence of a modern-day preservationist such as architect John Nash, “the importance of the society is all the greater”.

Tony Hillier was re-elected as Society chairman and honorary secretary Janine Griffiths was presented with a bouquet of flowers after she stepped down fol­low­ing nine years in the post. “You are irreplace­able,” said Mr Hillier.

The society spent £15,000 last year challenging basement developments in Hampstead.