It is with great regret that we share the sad news that Tom Bindoff died on 16 June, at the age of 82.

Tom was the founder and driving force behind ‘Centrewire’, the gate and structures manufacturing company known to most rights of way and access management people and whose products are familiar to any user of paths.

It is hard to think of any single person who has done more to make the countryside more easily accessible for all than Tom, since his early work to develop better structures in the 1990s/2000s and as a key member of the group which delivered BS 5709:2018, setting the standard for accessibility.

With Natural England, he was instrumental in creating the Centre for Outdoor Accessibility Training (COAT), at Aston Rowant Nature Reserve, a development following from his useful demonstration site on his own land, visited by many to collaborate on improvements. He went to great lengths to incorporate ideas at Centrewire to make products the best they could be for users, owners and installers. The current industry standard H-frame self closing gates and kissing gates which have led the way in ROW replacement furniture arise from his tireless work.

He was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the countryside in the King’s New Year Honours 2026, a lifetime achievement award from the Outdoor Recreation Network and a volunteer award from Natural England.

Natural England will commemorate Tom’s huge contribution to access at COAT and Aston Rowant NNR.