SOUTH West Water is supporting South West Lakes Trust’s Love Your Lakes Photography Competition as the charity marks 25 years of protecting, enhancing and sharing the regions inland waters.

Established in 2000 with support from South West Water, South West Lakes Trust was created as an independent charity to care for the region’s reservoirs and surrounding environments, making them more accessible for people and better protected for wildlife.

Over the past 25 years, the trust has grown to manage more than 50 lakes across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset, becoming the South West’s largest conservation and recreation charity.

To celebrate this milestone year, the trust’s 2025 photography competition includes a new category, ‘Celebrating 25 Years’ and are inviting the public to share historic photographs and memories that reflect the evolution and importance of these cherished places.

Sponsored by South West Water, the competition offers cash prizes including £250 for the overall winner and £100 for winners of each of the five categories: Wonderful Wildlife ; Stunning Scenery; Awesome Adventures; Young Explorers and Celebrating 25 Years.

Carolyn Cadman, Director of Net Zero and Natural Resources at South West Water, said: ‘As a founding partner of South West Lakes Trust, we’re proud to support this special 25th anniversary edition of the Love Your Lakes competition.

‘Over the last 25 years, South West Lakes Trust has transformed the way our lakes and reservoirs are experienced and cared for, creating welcoming, thriving spaces for people and wildlife alike.

‘We’d encourage people across the South West to get out with their cameras and explore these beautiful spaces so we can capture the stories, scenery and special moments that make these places so valuable to our communities.’

The 2025 Love Your Lakes Photography Competition runs until Sunday, August 31 and is free to enter.

All the winning entries will be featured in a special anniversary exhibition hosted by the South West Lakes Trust at Roadford Lake later this year.

James Platts, Chief Executive of South West Lakes Trust, said: ‘We are excited to be hosting our annual photo competition once again, with the addition of a special historic category, to celebrate our anniversary year.

‘We love to see those special moments, which can sometimes be just fleeting, that make these lakes mean so much more to our visitors.

‘We are really looking forward to sharing those experiences with you and we wish everyone good luck!”

For more information about how to enter visit www.swlakestrust.org.uk/love-your-lakes-photography-competition-2025