Last year's Green Champion in Croydon has told of his pride T winning a Green Guardian award and has urged others to get involved.

Robert Sowter won his award last year for his coppicing Selsdon Woods and Kings Wood, at a glittering ceremony in Fairfield Halls.

The 49-year-old said the award was great recognition for the hard work he had done and encouraged others to nominate volunteers who are making a difference.

"It was a magical moment," he said.

"To achieve and get recognition for that achievement in front of such an important audience was a very proud moment.

"It said a lot about the hours I put into the project.

"It's fantastic to have this award."

Mr Sowter, chairman of Spring Park Wood friends group in Shirley, said it was a complete, but very welcome, surprise to be nominated for the award and an even greater surprise to win.

He said there were many other people committed to helping the environment who would be just as worthy winners. "I'm pleased the Green Guardian Awards have expanded to recognise even more people doing good work."

Mr Sowter thanked the rest of his team in the British Conservation Trust and hoped the coverage of the award would prompt other leaders to inspire their teams.

And he says the most valuable commodity is not the conservation work but the volunteers who make it all happen.

He said: "It's about preserving the volunteers as much as preserving the conservation areas."

You can nominate someone for this, or any of the other Green Guardian awards: Green Primary School, Green Secondary School, Green Business, Green Household, Green Group or Project, Green Building and Young Environmentalist, by filling out the form on this page.

Or you can nominate online, click here.