The Countryside Restoration Trust (CRT) has announced its new official patron: actor Dame Judi Dench, who, the national charity says, supports its “mission to restore and protect the countryside and its wildlife”.
The announcement comes as the charity launches its new brand, and after Dame Judi served as the charities silver jubilee patron in 2018.
Robin Page, the chairman of the CRT, said: “I’m thrilled that Dame Judi has accepted the role of patron for the CRT. She played a key role in our silver jubilee celebrations, and it’s fantastic to have her long-term support.
She’s an inspiration to us all and on behalf of the charity, I’d like to thank her wholeheartedly for supporting the living countryside we all love.
Dame Judi also attended the charity’s 25th anniversary last year – held at the national geographic society – where she said: “The CRT is the pioneering charity in wildlife friendly farming and the biggest tribute to its success is the fact that so many other organisations have followed in its footsteps.”
She added: “I have been privileged to visit several of the Trust’s farms and the work being done is tremendous. We look to the future, as farming, the countryside and Britain’s wildlife need the pioneering work of the CRT more than ever before.”
New Brand
Speaking about the CRT’s new branding, Robin Page said that it marks a new purpose for the charity.
“The skylark at the centre of our logo represents the sound of a healthy countryside, which has inspired us for over a quarter of a century,” he explained.
He concluded by saying: “As we move into this next exciting phase, we’ve combined our beloved lark with bright colours found in the natural world, to represent the vibrant future of the trust.”
