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MPA's Nature Photo Competition Past Winners

2023 | 2021 | 2019 | 2017 | 2015

To celebrate MPA members' achievements in creating amazing spaces for nature, we hold a biannual photo competition. There are two categories – firstly, for employees and contractors from our member companies and secondly for volunteers at restored mineral sites. Please see the winning photos from the previous MPA competitions below.

Entries can be images of species (both fauna and flora) and habitats (including their landscape setting) found on operational quarries, partly or fully restored sites or on any site plant.

Details for the next competition can be found at MPA's Nature Photo Competition 2025 (mineralproducts.org).

2023 MPA Nature Photo Competition

Members Category

1st Place:

Michael Cardus, Tarmac
Arcow Quarry, Settle, North Yorkshire
Dark green fritillary butterflies feeding on a thistle

2nd Place:

Adrian Radnor, CEMEX
Hereford Quarry, Hereford, Herefordshire
Kingfisher

Joint 3rd Place:

Mike Belson, Aggregate Industries
(Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust) Cossington Meadows, Cossington, 
Leicester
Grey heron

Joint 3rd Place:

Stuart Lawrence, Tudor Griffiths
Wood Lane Quarry, Ellesmere, Shropshire
Oystercatcher

2023 MPA Nature Photo Competition

Volunteers Category

1st Place:

Roy McDonald, Volunteer
(Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust) College Lake Nature Reserve, Tring, Buckinghamshire
Redwing catching a worm

2nd Place:

George Walthew, Volunteer
Kings Dyke Nature Reserve, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire
Bittern in reedbed

Joint 3rd Place:

Paul Hilton, Volunteer
Mullaghglass Quarry, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Common frogs spawning

Joint 3rd Place:

Jill Bewley, Volunteer
(Cotswold Lakes Trust) Manorbrook Lakes, near Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire
Swan and cygnets

2021 MPA Nature Photo Competition

Members Category

1st Place:

David Soons, Aggregate Industries
(Cotswold Lakes Trust) Cotswold Water Park, Gloucestershire
Common tern

2nd Place:

Jeremy West, Tarmac
Undisclosed Location, North Yorkshire
Peregrine falcon

Joint 3rd Place:

Alan Bland, Sibelco
Grandcourt Farm Quarry, Leziate,
 Norfolk
​Roe deer

Joint 3rd Place:

Ian Rumbellow, Tarmac
Gallows Hill Quarry, Ipswich,
 Suffolk
Southern migrant hawker dragonfly

2021 MPA Nature Photo Competition

Volunteers Category

1st Place:

Roy McDonald, Volunteer
(Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust) College Lake Nature Reserve, Tring, Buckinghamshire
Feeding swallows

2nd Place:

John J Kaczanow, Volunteer
(Devon Wildlife Trust) Sourton Quarry Nature Reserve, near Okehampton, Devon

Wren feeding young

3rd Place:

George Walthew, Volunteer
Kings Dyke Nature Reserve, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire

Otter

2019 MPA Nature Photo Competition

Members Category

1st Place:

Dave Soons, Aggregate Industries
(Cotswold Lakes Trust)
 Cotswold Water Park, Wiltshire
Hobby

2nd Place:

Linda Thompson, Irish Salt Mining & Exploration Co Ltd
Kilroot Quarry, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
Common lizard

3rd Place:

Dave Barnes, Hanson
Almington Quarry, Market Drayton,
 Staffordshire
Stoat

2019 MPA Nature Photo Competition

Volunteers Category

1st Place:

Roy McDonald, Volunteer
(Beds, Cambs & Northants Wildlife Trust) Totternhoe Knolls Nature Reserve, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire

Short-eared owl

2nd Place:

John J Kaczanow, Volunteer
(Devon Wildlife Trust) Sourton Quarry Nature Reserve, Near Okehampton, Devon

Whiskered bat

3rd Place:

Malcolm Jarvis, Volunteer
(Devon Wildlife Trust) Blackhill Quarry, Exeter, Devon

Broad-bodied chaser dragonfly

2017 MPA Nature Photo Competition

Members Category

1st Place:

Michael Cardus, Tarmac
Arcow Quarry, Settle, North Yorkshire
Sand martins

2nd Place:

David Soons, Aggregate Industries
(Cotswold Lakes Trust) Cleveland Lakes Nature Reserve, Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire
Hobby

3rd Place:

Ian Rumbellow, Tarmac
Bucklesham Quarry, Ipswich,
 Suffolk
Oystercatcher sitting on her nest

2017 MPA Nature Photo Competition

Volunteers Category

1st Place:

Hawk Honey, Volunteer
(Suffolk Wildlife Trust) Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Stoat with rabbit

2nd Place:

Roy McDonald, Volunteer
East Leake Cement Works, Loughborough, Leicestershire

Bee eater

3rd Place:

Stuart Carlton, Volunteer
(RSPB) Langford Lowfields Nature Reserve, Collingham, Nottinghamshire

Male bearded tit

2015 MPA Nature Photo Competition

Members Category

1st Place:

Michael Cardus, Tarmac
Dry Rigg Quarry, Settle, North Yorkshire
Swallows nesting in power shed at quarry

2nd Place:

Paul McBurnie, Aggregate Industries
Glensanda Quarry, Loch Linnhe, Scotland
'Hector' the deer at sunset

3rd Place:

Linda Thompson, Irish Salt Mining & Exploration Co Ltd
By the jetty at Belfast Lough, Kilroot, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
Fully weaned grey seal pup

2015 MPA Nature Photo Competition

Volunteers Category

1st Place:

John J Kaczanow, Volunteer
Knowle Quarry, Okehampton, Devon

Juvenile peregrine falcon, the last to fledge

2nd Place:

Roger Bennett, Volunteer
(RSPB) Langford Lowfields Nature Reserve, Collingham, Nottinghamshire

Misty morning with mute swans

3rd Place:

Roy McDonald, Volunteer
(Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust) College Lake, Tring, Berkshire
Common blue butterfly