70 People 70 Years
70 years, 70 remarkable people
From the spark of an idea amongst a bold and ambitious few, to the inspiring personalities bringing the joy of National Parks to the masses today – people have always been the heartbeat of our protected landscapes.
Perhaps an almost impossible task to choose just 70 people who have made this difference, we’ll be bringing together profiles from the past, present and those looking to the future of the Peak District beyond.
We hope you’ll find something to fire your imagination too. We'll be sharing new profiles each week throughout 2021.
From the media? Head to our dedicated anniversary pages or get in touch to find out more about any of our 70 People for 70 Years.
- John Anfield - former director of planning now volunteer ranger
- Maxwell A. Ayamba - journalist, academic, campaigner
- Jasmin Bishop - countryside worker apprentice
- Harold 'Harry' Brunt MBE (1919-1980) - Deputy Peak District National Park Officer 1951 to 1980
- John Dower (1900-1946) - the father of UK National Parks
- Michael Dower - National Park Officer 1985 to 1992
- Pauline Dower (1905-1988) - a National Parks commissioner
- John Foster CBE (1920-2020) - Peak planning pioneer 1951 to 1968
- Sarah Fowler - chief executive, Peak District National Park Authority 2015 to present
- Alderman Norman Gratton CBE (1889-1982) - 'man of the people'
- Ethel Haythornthwaite (1894–1986) - a true National Park pioneer
- Fred Heardman BEM (1896-1973) - first unofficial information officer
- Mark Gwynne Jones - poet of the Peak
- Dianne Jeffrey CBE DL - Independent Chair, National Park Management Plan Advisory Group
- Lily McGuinness - fell runner and fundraiser
- Ken Parker - rural partnerships pioneer
- Sue Prince OBE DL - folk artist
- Benny Rothman (1911-2002) - leader of the Kinder Mass Trespass
- Gillian Scotford and Jane Cooper - accessibility champions
- Roly Smith - writer and former head of information services
- Bob Somerset - former resident who emigrated to Canada
- Prof. John Tarn (1934-2020) - chair of Planning Control Committee 1977 to 1997
- John Thompson - Local Access Forum chair
- Tomo Thompson - chief executive, CPRE Friends of the Peak District
- Tom Tomlinson (1908-1995) - first warden
- Derek Whiteley - Ecologist, Sorby Natural History Society
- Yvonne Witter - a Peak District champion