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Student wins award for role in park's heritage bid

University of Chester Ellie Morris smiles at the camera. She has long brown hair and is wearing glasses.University of Chester
Ellie Morris has won prizes including a one-to-one professional mentoring session with a senior member of the Tourism Management Institute

A university student, who has been given a national award for her part in a bid to achieve world heritage site status for a park, has said she is "grateful" to have contributed.

Birkenhead Park, which inspired New York's famous Central Park, is one of five historical sites which have made the UK's tentative list for potential nomination for the Unesco World Heritage list.

The University of Chester business and tourism student, Ellie Morris, 20, spent time on placement with the Birkenhead Park UNESCO World Heritage Project.

Her "outstanding contribution" has led to her being named winner of the Tourism Management Institute 2024 Undergraduate Student Award.

Ron Thomas Birds can be seen swimming in the lake at Birkenhead Park, with a Chinese pagoda seen in the background, along with trees.Ron Thomas
Birkenhead Park was the inspiration for New York's Central Park

Wirral Council has been working on the bid to get Unesco recognition for the park for several years, alongside partners including Friends of Birkenhead Park.

In April 2023, the government announced that the park, known as the People's Garden, had made the UK tentative list.

Ms Morris, who is studying business management and international tourism management, was selected for The David Hughes Memorial Award by judges.

The judging panel was impressed with the impact Ms Morris had in her role with the project in such a short time, managing communication and carrying out visitor research, the university said.

There was an increase in the park's social media engagement and visitors' survey feedback.

Ms Morris said: "I am honestly thrilled and grateful to have contributed to Birkenhead Park UNESCO World Heritage Project with the support of World Heritage Project Officer at Birkenhead Park, Marie Le Devehat, and the rest of the Birkenhead Park team."

Ms Le Devehat said: “It was a real pleasure to have Ellie with us for a few weeks and I was also very impressed by her ability to pick up things so quickly and to make great suggestions."

The park is up against places including the City of York and the East Atlantic Flyway on the English East Coast Wetlands.

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