Tree planted at Drumpellier Country Park in memory of beloved member of Coatbridge community
Former teacher Jim McCormack supported hundreds of young people to achieve their Duke of Edinburgh award.
A tree has been planted at Drumpellier Country Park in memory of a beloved member of the Coatbridge community.
Jim McCormack supported hundreds of young people to achieve their Duke of Edinburgh award.
A popular former geography teacher at St Ambrose and Chryston high schools, Jim was also a Duke of Edinburgh supervisor and assessor with North Lanarkshire Council's Community Learning and Development service.
He worked with local groups and additional support needs schools, teaching navigation and campcraft skills to help young people complete their expeditions as part of the award.
Jim also helped develop outdoor learning and expeditions for pupils across North Lanarkshire, and was a member of St Andrew's Orienteering Club.
North Lanarkshire Provost Kenneth Duffy joined Jim's family, friends, colleagues and Father Michael Kane from St Augustine's in Coatbridge to plant the memorial tree.
Provost Duffy said: 'This is a fitting tribute to Jim who loved nature and the outdoors and was passionate about helping young people to explore and appreciate our environment.'
Jim was a keen champion of the Duke of Edinburgh award, which is a prestigious youth achievement program designed to challenge young people aged 14-24 to develop personal skills, achieve their potential, and make a positive impact on their communities.
It involves completing a series of activities in four areas: volunteering, skills, physical recreation and expedition, with a residential section for Gold-level participants.
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Former teacher Jim McCormack supported hundreds of young people to achieve their Duke of Edinburgh award. A tree has been planted at Drumpellier Country Park in memory of a beloved member of the Coatbridge community. Jim McCormack supported hundreds of young people to achieve their Duke of Edinburgh award. A popular former geography teacher at St Ambrose and Chryston high schools, Jim was also a Duke of Edinburgh supervisor and assessor with North Lanarkshire Council's Community Learning and Development service. He worked with local groups and additional support needs schools, teaching navigation and campcraft skills to help young people complete their expeditions as part of the award. Jim also helped develop outdoor learning and expeditions for pupils across North Lanarkshire, and was a member of St Andrew's Orienteering Club. North Lanarkshire Provost Kenneth Duffy joined Jim's family, friends, colleagues and Father Michael Kane from St Augustine's in Coatbridge to plant the memorial tree. Provost Duffy said: 'This is a fitting tribute to Jim who loved nature and the outdoors and was passionate about helping young people to explore and appreciate our environment.' Jim was a keen champion of the Duke of Edinburgh award, which is a prestigious youth achievement program designed to challenge young people aged 14-24 to develop personal skills, achieve their potential, and make a positive impact on their communities. It involves completing a series of activities in four areas: volunteering, skills, physical recreation and expedition, with a residential section for Gold-level participants.
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In written submissions their legal representatives said the couple were 'not motivated by a desire to stop camping on Dartmoor'. Instead, they talked of campers not observing the 'leave no trace' rule and campfires leading to habitat destruction. Is there merit in at least some of these arguments? The last time Chesworth was wild camping on Dartmoor, he remembers being woken by fireworks at 3.30am. The next day, his boys picked up the revellers' rubbish on their way back home. 'With this sense of freedom and access comes responsibility and a need for stewardship,' he says. 'One of the reasons I like taking my children out there is that it teaches them that responsibility. It's like school, but more fun. 'What I would say though is that there's a big distinction between wild, backpack camping and fly camping, where people are bringing family tents and disposable barbecues and pitching up at the edge of a car park.' On local forums, there is much speculation that it is 'townies' who are going to Dartmoor with their crates of beer and fireworks and wrecking it. Right to Roam says it is aware that encouraging wider access to natural spaces does come with the potential for abuse. That's why the group developed the concept of 'Wild Service', where responsible access means respecting privacy, crops and nature while seeking to leave a positive trace and practising deep care for the natural world. The Darwalls, for their part, remain unconvinced that access translates to guardianship. The couple said they were 'disappointed' by the Supreme Court's judgment. 'Hollowing out the role of landowners and farmers will not improve the vitality of the Dartmoor Commons,' they said. 'Our aim from the outset was to protect and preserve Dartmoor, its flora and fauna.' Meanwhile, others are keen to see the outcome set a precedent for the rest of England. In opposition, Labour pledged to create a widespread right to roam policy if elected but U-turned after facing opposition from some landowners. The OSS and Right To Roam are now calling on officials to 'step up' and pass an act that can protect and extend public rights of access to nature across England. If wild camping is allowed on Dartmoor, then why not elsewhere, they argue. 'If Darwall vs Dartmoor is to be a truly landmark decision, the Government must act to ensure a right to sleep under the stars applies to all national parks and wild country,' says Ashbrook.
