Thanking Pippa Langford at Westonbirt National Arboretum

At the end of February, ORN marked a special moment as outgoing Co-Chair Pippa Langford met with Co-Chair James Nevitt and the new Co-Chair Paddy Harrop for an in-person handover at Westonbirt National Arboretum. Joined by Elizabeth Annett from the Outscape Secretariat team, the group gathered on a bitterly cold day to reflect on Pippa’s remarkable contribution and to look ahead to the next chapter for the Network. Alongside the handover, the group held a planning session to discuss key priorities for ORN in the months ahead.

After more than five years at the helm, it was only fitting to mark Pippa’s leadership in a meaningful way. A keen gardener and explorer, Pippa was presented with a set of thoughtful gifts, including an engraved spade bearing the message “From all at ORN. Thank you for helping ORN grow”, Niwaki Sentei secateurs, and a custom OS Explorer map of her local area.

Reflecting on her time as Co-Chair, Pippa said:

“Being Co-Chair has been one of the best things I’ve done in my career. It’s shown me how much we can achieve when we work together – not by having all the answers, but by listening, sharing knowledge, and making sure every voice in the network is heard.”

James Nevitt added:

“Pippa, thank you for your generosity and for everything you’ve given to the Network. As you said so perfectly: ‘Being Co-Chair isn’t about having the answers – it’s about making sure the wealth of expertise in the Network gets heard.’ You’ve embodied that throughout your time as Co-Chair, and we’re incredibly grateful.”

While stepping down as Co-Chair, Pippa will continue to play an important role within ORN as a member of the Executive Committee and as the key contact for Natural England.

Pippa’s leadership has helped shape the ORN into the collaborative, forward-looking network it is today. We extend our sincere thanks for her dedication, energy and vision, and look forward to continuing to work with her in this next phase.