Strictly Come Dancing winner Katie Derham's love of Ashdown Forest

Katie Derham, who won the BBC show's Christmas special in 2017, has revealed how important Ashdown Forest is to her.

It came as the TV and radio presenter hosted a sell-out fundraising event celebrating the four seasons of the forest, which inspired A.A.Milne’s Winnie the Pooh.

More than 150 guests attended the evening at the Ashdown Park Hotel and Country Club in Forest Row.

It was organised by The Ashdown Forest Foundation (TAFF), whose mission is to raise awareness and funds to conserve and enhance the Forest for the enjoyment, education, health and recreation of current and future generations.

All proceeds from the evening will directly support TAFF.

Katie Derham speaking to Craig Payne and Ashdown Forest CEO James Adler (Image: The Ashdown Forest Foundation)

"I'm an enormous supporter of the Ashdown Forest Foundation, largely due to the fact that I love the Ashdown Forest,” said Ms Derham.

"I'm local, I walk in it, I run in it and drive through it, and I constantly am amazed and in awe of what a wonderful oasis of beauty we have on our doorstep.

"We are very blessed in this area that the Ashdown Forest is so extensive and so beautiful and has such amazing biodiversity and so many different facets to it to be able to stimulate and inspire us.

"We're so blessed in Sussex, and in this area, the High Weald is a place of just outstanding natural beauty, in all its senses.

"Anything that we can do to make sure that's not nibbled away at, ignored and in any way harmed – we should do everything we can.”

Photographer Craig Payne has launched a book showcasing the forest across the seasons (Image: Craig Payne)

The Icon Strings quartet, with violin soloist Martyn Jackson, performed Vivaldi’s Four Seasons concertos and the evening also featured the launch of a new book created by photographer Craig Payne.

The book features over 100 photographs of Ashdown Forest through the seasons, with words by Ashdown Forest CEO James Adler.

Ashdown Forest will receive 50 per cent of the profits.

Against the backdrop of a selection of photos of the forest displayed on a large screen on stage, Ms Derham spoke with Mr Payne and Mr Adler about the book’s images.

Mr Adler said the forest needs “lots of funding” to look after it, improve its car parks and make it more accessible for people with a disability or mobility issues.