John Anderton, a wonderful human being, passed away in August 2024 in his eighties. John was an amateur naturalist in the true sense of the phrase. The word amateur comes from the Latin ‘amator,’ which means ‘lover’. John loved all nature with a passion and shared this with anybody lucky enough to come into his presence. He dedicated much of the later years of his life to the conservation and appreciation of wildlife.
Remembering John Anderton
Stephen Cartwright remembers John Anderton, a long term volunteer and supporter of Lancashire Wildlife Trust, whose dedication and passion made a huge difference for wildlife.
John Anderton
John’s passion for nature was evident in his tireless work at Seven Acres Local Nature Reserve. As chairperson and later treasurer of the Friends of Seven Acres, he devoted thousands of hours to ensuring the group’s success. His leadership and dedication were instrumental in bringing together and then guiding the Friends of Seven Acres (and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust).
John’s connection with Seven Acres began during his tenure at ‘The Laundry’ (now a mix of industrial units at the centre of the site) where he served as company secretary. Inspired by the natural surroundings, he was a founding member of the Friends of Seven Acres and fostered a community of conservation enthusiasts who shared his high standards and passion for the environment. A group of people who are still literal friends to this day. His efforts cultivated a culture of caring for nature in Breightmet, making him a central figure in local conservation efforts whilst he was also a key member of the Darcy Lever Gravel Pits Action Group.
John Anderton taking part in a bumblebee walk
John was a dedicated wildlife recorder and submitted over 33,000 wildlife records to the Greater Manchester Local Records Centre for Seven Acres alone, highlighting his meticulous dedication to documenting local biodiversity. He co-ran the Wildlife Watch group from the ERC (LWT’s Bolton office), inspiring hundreds of children with activities such as birdwatching, pond dipping, minibeast hunts, bat walks and wildflower identification. In his later years, he developed a particular passion for moth identification and could still be found running events at 1am in his enthusiasm.
It is no surprise that John was awarded Wildlife Champion of the Year at our volunteer conference in 2012. There can have been few other more worthy winners.
John’s commitment also included open events for the wider community in Breightmet to invite them into the site, including the always popular dawn chorus walks. For many years he also assisted with running school visits on Seven Acres where he always managed to engage the children on a topic reflecting the questions they asked whilst walking through or in reaction to seeing something exciting along the way.
His ability to connect with people, especially young conservationists, was unparalleled. He generously shared his time and knowledge, making everyone feel valued and inspired. He was an inspiration to me when I first met him as a Friend of Seven Acres myself and has continued to be so throughout my career. I regularly think ‘I wonder what John would think about this’ before making conservation decisions and know that if I thought he would approve then I am on the right track.
John Anderton getting stuck into volunteering
Despite his extensive volunteer work, John also raised a family and led a fulfilling life outside of conservation. His conservation work was all undertaken without seeking recognition or reward, driven solely by his love for nature and his desire to make the world a better place.
John Anderton was a wonderful human being, a true naturalist, and a cherished friend. His legacy will live on in the people who knew him and in the natural world he worked so tirelessly to protect and restore. He will be deeply missed but will forever be a part of Seven Acres and the wild places he loved.