The Wildlife Trusts is a partnership of 47 local Wildlife Trusts across the UK, plus the Isle of Man and Alderney. Their vision is ‘an environment richer in wildlife for everyone’ and they’re the largest charity dedicated to conserving all UK habitats and species, with a membership of more than 530,000 people including 62,000 junior members. They campaign for the protection of wildlife and invest in the future by helping people of all ages to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of wildlife. Collectively, they manage more than 2,500 nature reserves spanning over 80,000 hectares.

The 2004 Wildlife Classic Tournament was organised by Surrey Wildlife Trust, one of 47 local Trusts in The Wildlife Trusts partnership, in association with National Grid Transco and held on the East Course at Wentworth in Surrey.

Wentworth Golf Club and Surrey Wildlife Trust have enjoyed a long relationship. Since 1988, the Trust has managed 82 acres of the Club’s land as a nature reserve, involving three areas adjoining the famous Club. The reserve is a mixture of valley bog, wet woodland and mainly wet and dry heath. (Lowland heath is a priority for nature conservation because it is an internationally rare and threatened habitat.) Ground-nesting birds including woodlark and stonechat, plus dragonflies, damselflies, reptiles and amphibians can be found on the reserve amongst a rich mixture of plants and flowers associated with heathland and bog.

Funds raised from this year’s entry fees will facilitate the acquisition of new nature reserves in Surrey and the protection of vitally important areas for the enjoyment and education of future generations.

In addition, the Wildlife Classic Pro-Am Tournament provided a wonderful opportunity to -

•promote the relationship between golf courses and the value of good golf course management for wildlife and business

•further encourage good management of golf courses and provide other events and relationships to benefit wildlife

•showcase the good work for wildlife that has been undertaken on many golf courses

•introduce new businesses to The Wildlife Trusts and encourage further involvement in our work

•provide a flagship event in the golfing calendar to raise the profile of The Wildlife Trusts

On a day that was warm and sunny, 76 golfers in 19 teams competed in the first Wildlife Classic tournament.

Competing teams included:

National Grid Transco (NGT)

HSBC

Volvo Car UK Ltd

RMC Group PLC

Consulting Strategies

Eco-Composting Ltd

Capital City Media

Munday’s Solicitors

Penningtons

Octagon Developments Ltd

Talbotts Heating Ltd

Atmel

Prater Ltd

Fast Track

Surrey Wildlife Trust

Professor David Bellamy, OBE, President of The Wildlife Trusts and of Surrey Wildlife Trust joined the teams for cocktails and dinner afterwards and presented the winners’ trophies which were all Waterford Crystal.

This year’s winning teams were:

In first place: RMC group plc made up of Andre Lubeck, William Gagie, Martyn Pugh and

their professional was Matthew Hazelden.

Second place: Pennington's Team 1 - Mike Cole, Robert Snare (Surrey Wildlife Trust trustee),

Christopher Mallin and their professional, Kevin Saunders

Third place: Consulting Strategies - Malcolm Leith, Howard Kennedy, Heath Monk and

their professional - Mark Nichols.

The Surrey Wildlife Trust also entered a team, consisting of Graham Manning, Ranger, Chris Mostyn of NGT and Ian Bulleid of Surrey Downs Golf Club, which came a respectable Joint 8th along with one of the NGT teams and Capital City Media.

The Wildlife Trusts would like to thank:

National Grid Transco - who sponsored this event.

Think Publishing and Baker Tilly who sponsored holes and the following companies who also donated auction prizes for the silent auction which raised £1000 on the night.

Canon

Sony UK Ltd

Ernest Charles

Surrey Downs Golf Club

Volvo Car UK

Ping

Srixon