16 July 2024

The Love Windermere partnership has appointed Lake District businessman Nigel Wilkinson MBE as its new independent Chair.

The partnership, which brings together organisations from across the South Lakes area, is working to protect and improve water quality in and around Lake Windermere.

Nigel Wilkinson is a respected figure in the Cumbria business and tourism community with a wealth of experience. He is the Managing Director of Windermere Lakes Cruises Limited and also holds several board and advisory positions at organisations including VisitEngland, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP), South Cumbria Rivers Trust and also serves on the Tourism Industry Council. Previously Nigel was a director of Cumbria Tourism, Chair of CLEP’s Visitor Economy Sector Panel and Chair of the Lake District National Park Partnership’s Business Task Force.

Speaking of his new role at Love Windermere, Nigel Wilkinson said:

“It is a privilege to lead this ambitious partnership into its next phase. Windermere is an iconic waterbody in the heart of the Lake District and has many attractions, not least its four designated bathing waters which are consistently classed as excellent by the Environment Agency, but it also has complex challenges and needs to be resilient to the impact of climate change. I am passionate about water quality in the lake and Love Windermere is building on the improvements delivered in recent decades by bringing together everyone with the power to drive future enhancements, to protect the lake and to sustain our local economy and communities.”

Councillor Giles Archibald, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Biodiversity at Westmorland and Furness Council paid tribute to Andy Brown, outgoing Chair for Love Windermere: “On behalf of the Partnership I want to express our thanks to Andy for all his hard work and dedication.”

In addition to the appointment of Nigel Wilkinson as independent chair for a period of 18 months, Ruth Forrester has also begun a two-year contract as its partnership manager. She has many years’ experience within the Environment Agency and a track record of working successfully, at a local and national level, within partnerships on challenging issues.

The Love Windermere partnership includes: Cumbria Tourism, the Environment Agency, the Lake District Foundation, the Lake District National Park Authority, The National Trust, The National Farmers Union, South Cumbria Rivers Trust, United Utilities plc, Westmorland and Furness Council and the Windermere area Parish Councils.