“I have known and worked with Gordon McGlone for about 10 years (he was a trustee of the Gloucestershire Environmental Trust, which I chaired at the time) and known of his work in Gloucestershire for many more. Gordon’s achievements in building a really effective voice for nature in the county, in developing the county nature reserve network and in reaching out to communities means that the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has achieved a prominent position in local life and affected the lives of thousands of people for the better. The trust was a tiny, amateur body when he came on the scene a third of a century ago; it is now a big player and widely known for its effective work. These things don’t happen without vision and the leadership qualities to realise that vision. Gordon has brought those qualities to the job of CEO over many years – thereby leading a team that has saved wildlife, transformed the prospects for conservation and touched the lives of both children and adults in the county.
Gordon’s contribution has not been confined to the county of Gloucestershire. He has also been a key player in the national family of Wildlife Trusts, helping other trusts to attain the high standards he set for his own. The fact that he led a trust that is widely recognised as among the most successful, ensures that his contributions on the national stage are listened to.
He has now taken the brave decision to step down from the trust’s chief officer post but he has the capacity, the knowledge and the personality to contribute far more to nature conservation in the county, and beyond.”
Adrian Phillips CBE, MRTPI, FLI