The family and friends of Jamie Normington, a prominent conservationist who lived and worked in Cumbria, have planted a Sessile Oak last week, in our RSPB Celebration Wood, in memory of his remarkable life.
For the past 15 years, Jamie worked tirelessly for Cumbria Wildlife Trust as their Training and Education Manager inspiring and mentoring young people of all ages about the natural world. He was a uniquely talented conservationist, naturalist, educator and campaigner. He would never describe himself as a writer, but he had a way with words.
In 2019 Jamie took on the challenge of the 200-mile Coast-to-Coast walk, from St Bees Head to Robin Hood’s Bay, to raise funds to place copies of the book ‘The Lost Words’ by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, into 200 primary schools across Cumbria.
Jamie was also the popular compere of the quirky ‘Music on Nature’ (Patron – Robert Macfarlane) event at Kendal Mountain Literature Festival and for the past few years became one of the popular interviewers talking to a number of nature writers. He loved the role as he was a prolific reader and had a talent for connecting with people, bringing a genuine interest, love of literature and a great sense of humour. He was also involved in the Nature Chronicle Prize – Award for Nature writing. Jamie sadly passed away in April 2025, age 53, following a short battle with pancreatic cancer.
Jamie’s tree marks the 400th tree planted in our Celebration Wood. His Sessile Oak was planted by his family and close friends, led by his beloved wife Bea Normington, who is our RSPB Celebration Wood Officer, manging the project here at Wild Haweswater.
“Jamie was the most interesting husband I could wish for. He made me laugh, took me out for adventures, he was my librarian, my walking encyclopaedia, my chef, my best friend and my rock. He made me mad at times re-stacking the dishwasher and banging pans in the kitchen but I always forgave him because he was the love of my life.
“One of his biggest passions was connecting young people with nature. He was never happier than sharing his wildlife wisdom with people – whether that was a group of primary school children, the young adult apprentices at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, the volunteers he worked alongside, or with me on our many wild walks together. He was also a mischievous, loving and unique son, brother, uncle and friend. He was always there if anyone needed him.”
– Bea Normington, Jamie’s wife and RSPB Celebration Wood Officer
Our RSPB Celebration Wood where Jamie’s tree has been planted, is one of several conservation projects here at Wild Haweswater, and is a distinctive place to plant a native tree – to mark a special occasion or in memory of the life of a loved one.
Set up on 1 February 2022 by Bea Normington, Celebration Wood lies next to the mossy temperate rainforest of Naddle Forest, here at Wild Haweswater. Since then, it has grown in popularity as a way for both local people and those from further afield with a love of the Lake District, to leave a lasting legacy, benefiting wildlife, as well as helping to restore the native trees that have been lost from the landscape. The Lake District fells should be home to a whole host of native trees such as Aspen, Creeping Willow and Downy Willow, but they have mostly been lost from the English uplands or pushed to the very edges of the craggiest cliffs, due to grazing by sheep and wild deer.
Our RSPB conservation team manage the largest native tree and plant nursery in the Lake District here, where many of these species are grown. Our staff and volunteers gather the seeds in autumn, grow them on in the nursery and then plant them back out into the landscape as part of our restoration work. All the trees for Celebration Wood are grown in this nursery and there is a choice of saplings for you to choose from including Alder, Aspen, Bird Cherry, Blackthorn, Crab Apple, Downy Birch, Goat Willow, Hawthorn, Hazel, Rowan and Sessile Oak. Celebration Wood supporters also select a pair of personalised ceramic tree markers, beautifully hand-crafted in the Lake District by local ceramic artist Coco Ceramics; one to keep and one to hang on their tree.
“Planting the 400th tree is an incredible milestone for Celebration Wood. I am fond of every tree planted but this one is particularly close to my heart in memory of my husband Jamie. When I started this project four years ago, I wasn’t sure how the public would respond but it has been unbelievable. Every tree in Celebration Wood has a story – whether planted to mark a special occasion, anniversary, birthday, wedding, retirement or in memory of a loved ones’ life. Jamie and I planted two trees here for our silver wedding anniversary in 2023, so his memory can be felt throughout Celebration Wood, supporting the wildlife that he was so passionate about.”
– Bea Normington
Donations for a tree planting cover the cost of growing and caring for the tree as well as the ongoing maintenance of Celebration Wood. To discover more about planting a tree, visit our website here.
Bea has also created a memorial fund for Jamie, supporting Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Pancreatic Cancer UK. Donate here.
Image credits: 1) Jamie in bluebell woodland, thanks to Cumbria Wildlife Trust. 2) Jamie on his 200 mile Coast to Coast adventure. 3) Bea with Jamie’s Sessile Oak in Celebration Wood, thanks to Matthew Scott. 4) Jamie installing a bird nestbox into an Ash tree, thanks to Cumbria Wildlife Trust.
– Blog by Annabel Rushton, RSPB People and Partnerships Manager for Wild Haweswater and Bea Normington, RSPB Celebration Wood Officer for Wild Haweswater. Posted Monday 20 April 2026.
