Bernard Venables Award Winner 2018

We present the Bernard Venables Award to recognise those who, voluntarily, have given a lifetime of service to wild trout conservation and to WTT and whose vital work, perhaps unusual, sometimes outstanding, often goes unrecognised.

The 2018 winner is Phil Bailey, a keen river conservationist, angler, fishing guide and fly-tier. Phil was the inaugural President of the Australian Trout Foundation and has fished and guided across many countries, now settled in Yorkshire. Here, he works tirelessly across the county for wild trout conservation, including shoulder-to-shoulder with WTT’s Research & Conservation Officer, Jonny Grey, on the Wharfe, Ure, Aire and Ribble.

Phil is an ambassador for wild trout (and WTT), an event organiser, Riverfly monitor, tree planter, weed planter, woody debris installer and invasive species annihilator. His friends, in their proposition, noted of Phil that His continued energy, enthusiasm, commitment and sheer hard work to benefit wild trout and grayling populations know no bounds, in what is now his eighth decade. In short, improvement of conditions for fish, and being out on (and in) the river, are his main passions in life”. 

Perfect attributes for a Bernard Venables winner.

Bv Phil Bailey
Phil Bailey receives his award from WTT Chairman David Fraser