Shropshire Student Picks Up Twose Prize

Posted 11 October 2004

Ian Hopkins, of Muxton, Telford, has been awarded THE TWOSE PRIZE, awarded in memory of Natalie Dustan for the best improvement in achievement during the BSc Countryside Management Course at Harper Adams University College, Shropshire.

This a new prize for 2004 and has been kindly donated by Twose of Tiverton Limited in memory of Natalie Dustan, one of three students who tragically lost their lives in a road accident in 2003. Twose of Tiverton Limited, a farm machinery company based in Devon, has close links with the University College and the award was the idea of Mr Geoffrey Davies, OBE, Managing Director of Twose of Tiverton and Vice President of Alamo Inc. In addition the Alamo Group (Europe) Ltd. has donated The McConnel Prize and The Bomford Prize in memory of Christopher MacHattie and David Holtom who also died.

The prize has been awarded to Ian Hopkins who will graduate with an Upper Second Class BSc Honours Degree in Countryside Management. Before his degree course, the 37-year-old mature student worked in the steel manufacturing industry for 15 years and undertook voluntary work for the local BTCV conservation group at weekends. After redundancy in 2000 he decided to pursue a career change and gain qualifications in countryside management.

Ian’s dissertation title was ‘Country parks: are visitor centres necessary?’ The topic, based on four country parks in the Midlands area, investigated the changing visitor expectations of visits to country parks and how (or if) country park managers are adapting to cater for the needs of the public. Ian is currently seeking work in habitat management, forestry or urban conservation based around designated sites, such as country parks or local nature reserves.

Ian, who previously lived in Dudley, is a former pupil of Ellowes Hall Comprehensive, Lower Gornal, Dudley.