THE Fovant Badges Society conversation officer has retired after 12 years.

Colonel Tony Pinder, who has held the position since 2000, was presented with a framed print of the badges to mark his retirement by society president Sir John Wilsey.

Mr Pinder, 78, was instrumental in obtaining funding for, and then managing, the restoration of the badges ten years ago and has managed the annual maintenance of the programme ever since.

To many people in Fovant and around Wiltshire, Mr Pinder is known as “Mr Fovant Badges” and in November last year, he appeared on BBC’s Countryfile programme.

He said: “Over the last 12 years I have climbed Fovant Down 347 times to manage the annual maintenance programme but it is getting a little difficult to do so now.”