“In the heart of Broadland”: a talk by Michael Pollitt
Organiser: Friends of Wickhampton Church £7.50
SATURDAY 13 JUNE 2026 at 7.30pm.
St Andrew’s Church, Wickhampton, Norfolk NR13 3PB.
£7.50 on the door (cash please) to include light refreshments.
St Andrew’s church stands on the edge of the Halvergate marshes, and just outside its wall is a simple square stone set into the ground, which commemorates the life of Andrew John Lees, global environmentalist, whose unstinting efforts and dedication helped preserve these very special wetlands. He spoke for the butterflies.
Our speaker, Michael Pollitt (former agricultural editor of the Eastern Daily Press (EDP), arrived in Norfolk in autumn 1984 just as “Halvergate” had become the top environmental hot potato. Farmers, landowners and environmental campaigners, led in Broadland by Andrew Lees, eventually managed to devise a far-reaching solution as government, initially somewhat reluctantly, pioneered a new concept of environmentally sensitive areas. As chairman of Broadland Friends of the Earth, Andrew led this campaign with determination. Almost every weekend through the middle of that decade another missive arrived at the EDP offices in Yarmouth or Norwich from Andrew’s team. It was a fascinating time, and with the benefit of 30 years’ experience as the EDP agricultural editor, Michael will reflect on Andrew’s remarkable legacy for farming and wildlife in Andrew’s native county and further afield.
