Keep Wales Tidy’s Project Officer for Powys, Rachel Palmer, has been presented with a Silver Kite Award in recognition of her years of dedication in championing volunteers to care for their local environment.

The Powys County Council Silver Kite Award is a civic award presented by the Chair of Council, Cllr Gareth Ratcliffe, to recognise outstanding commitment to the community. As well as being a Keep Wales Tidy Project Officer for Powys for 15 years, the award is also in recognition of Rachel’s earlier career in the council’s museums service.

Rachel was nominated for her award James Thompson, the council’s Waste Awareness and Enforcement Manager, as a thank you for all her hard work over the years. Throughout her time as the Keep Wales Tidy’s Project Officer for Powys, Rachel has dedicated herself to supporting community and environmental projects in the county. She has supported schools, community groups, charities, businesses, councillors and local individuals to take direct action to help make their communities cleaner and greener.

“I am delighted to officially recognise Rachel’s dedication and commitment to the county of Powys,” said Cllr Ratcliffe. “And although the award is made to Rachel personally, it also reflects on the hard work of so many of the local volunteers across Powys who do so much to help keep our county free of litter.

“Rachel and her volunteers have done so much for Powys, not just litter picking but also championing environmental projects, encouraging wildlife and nature habitats and gardening ventures across the county.

I know first-hand from volunteering with local environmental tasks just how much this improves the physical and mental health of those partaking, as well as improving the local environment for the whole community.”

Lesley Jones, Keep Wales Tidy Chief Executive said: “I’m delighted that Rachel’s outstanding contribution in Powys over the past 15 years has been recognised by Powys County Council. Rachel has worked closely with our local authority partner and so many others in Powys to protect and improve the local environment which has made a huge difference to communities across the county.”