The Countess of Chester Country Park picked up several accolades at the Land Trust Awards 2017, including Site of the Year.

The 19 hectare site, next to the Countess of Chester Health Park, was also joint winner of Health Site of the Year.

Furthermore, chair of the Friends of Countess of Chester Country Park, Ian Roberts, was named Volunteer of the Year.

For Ian, the Country Park is much more than just a pleasant place for a walk and has become integral to his daily life.

He began by taking part in practical volunteering sessions with the TCV Green Gym and went on to complete the Green Angels training programme that was run by the Land Trust earlier this year.

Having discovered the benefits of spending time outdoors, gained confidence and realised a passion for the natural world, he joined the Friends of Countess of Chester Country Park group, was voted in as chair and now dedicates a lot of his spare time to looking after the park and encouraging people to visit.

Managed on a day-to-day basis by The Conservation Volunteers, the park is a haven for people and nature, offering all sorts of activities and habitats.

Health for Life project officer Alistair Cook leads a range of sessions every week, from Nordic Walking to Run to Walk.

Chester parkrun takes place every Saturday at 9am, and Green Gym practical volunteering tasks on Tuesday mornings give people the chance to get hands-on to help maintain and enhance the park whilst improving both physical and mental health.

Operations leader for The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) Katie Lowry said: “We are proud to be part of the Countess of Chester Country Park and help so many people get involved in the great activities which are on offer.”

The Countess of Chester Country Park is loved by local residents and also well-used by staff, patients and visitors from the Health Park, giving everyone plenty of opportunities to enjoy the physical and health benefits of the outdoors.

Director of portfolio management at the Land Trust Alan Carter commented: “Since it opened in 2014, the Countess of Chester Country Park has become an integral and important part of the local community, bringing people together and supporting wildlife in the city too.

“So many people have benefited from the park, whether through being able to walk their dog, taking part in parkrun, helping out with conservation activities or simply enjoying some beautiful scenery and fresh air. We’re sure these won’t be the only awards the Countess of Chester Country Park will win.”