Pat Callaghan obituary

My mother, Pat Callaghan, was a champion of urban wildlife who was dedicated to making sure people in towns and cities had access to green spaces. With the help of many others she ran "urban safaris" to demonstrate that the environment is not just a matter for rural areas. As chair of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (1995-2007) she also helped to promote and shape new ideas about conservation.

Pat, who has died aged 86, had a background in radio broadcasting - she worked on the Countrywise programme for BBC Radio Stoke - and her communication skills allowed her to forge many partnerships. She worked tirelessly to foster links between environmental projects, agricultural organisations and grassroots community groups. She also helped to establish the National Forest, a project to plant trees across 200 square miles of central England.