New Broads project leader

THE man who managed the spending of over �1m of government money on innovative Broads projects has handed over the purse strings.Nigel Dark was the Broads Authority's first administrator of Defra's sustainable development fund - �200,000 which has been given each year to English National Parks to fund sustainable projects for the last six and a half years.

THE man who managed the spending of over �1m of government money on innovative Broads projects has handed over the purse strings.

Nigel Dark was the Broads Authority's first administrator of Defra's sustainable development fund - �200,000 which has been given each year to English National Parks to fund sustainable projects for the last six and a half years.

During his term of office he has organised the funding of 136 projects worth over �5.3m, in the field of green tourism, education, helping disadvantaged people and the environment.

They have ranged from rejuvenating the reed and sedge cutting industry, promoting canoe and bike hire, and researching an eco boat for the Broads, to part-funding wind turbines and wood chip boilers in schools and buying boats for use by disabled and young people.

“SDF has been a big success,” said Mr Dark. “Without it a lot of very worthwhile projects would simply never have happened and some extremely effective partnerships would never have been formed.”

He hands over the SDF purse to John Ash, a chartered civil engineer who has worked for over 35 years in the flood and coastal risk management field for government, government agencies and environmental consultants.

Mr Ash, who lives in South Norfolk, is a trustee of the Horstead Outdoor Activity Centre and the Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust. He enjoys gardening, walking, bell ringing and morris dancing.