The John Spedan Lewis Emerging Leader Award

Awardees are typically professionals or non-professionals of any nationality or age who are usually within the first 10 years of their work within the natural environment and have a record of creating a positive impact on the UK natural environment.

Nominations are now open. Submit your nominations by 30 September 2025.

Founder of the John Lewis Partnership, John Spedan Lewis (1885–1963) was a keen naturalist who put into practice his belief that the natural world should be better understood, cared for, and enjoyed by as many as possible. He was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1933.

His work and passion continue through the John Lewis Partnership Foundation’s Nature Fund which is funded directly from the John Lewis Partnership and money raised by Partners, suppliers and customers.

The Foundation, in collaboration with the Linnean Society, marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of the John Spedan Lewis Foundation (JSLF) in 2015 with the award of the first Medal, bringing together two institutions that had been so important to John Spedan Lewis.

Megan Gimber

‘This award is a surprise, delight, and an honour; reflecting the dedication of many. It means a huge amount to me for geekery, passion and perseverance to be rewarded in this way. People and communities are the key to conservation, and our project successes reflect the power of inspiration, education and hope.’

Self-professed ‘hedgerow geek’ Megan Gimber has spent almost a decade advocating for the protection, management, and growth of the UK’s depleted hedgerows.

Megan manages two hedgerow surveys for the People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES): The Great British Hedgerow Survey and Healthy Hedgerows, the latter of which she developed into an app for farmers to aid rapid hedge assessment with direct and tailored management advice. Running training courses and walks, her outreach also extends to the media where she has appeared on radio, podcasts, at festivals and in print, with many feeding back that her inspirational work has left them consumed with ‘hedge fever’!