27 April 2009

Join a cast of thousands in the RSPB’s new blockbuster, Love Nature

The RSPB and its many supporters are renowned for their innovative fundraising ideas. This year is certainly no exception as 2009 sees the launch of ‘Love Nature Collection Week’.
You could be one of the thousands of people to give nature a voice this spring and be part of the biggest volunteer mobilisation from the RSPB in this region.

Love Nature Week is taking place from 30 May – 7 June and is coming to East of England for the first time. So why not join us in raising money for wildlife all over the world, from tigers in the Sumatran Rainforest to blue tits in your back garden!

It is simply, a week of collections taking place around the region, in cities, towns and shopping centres. The RSPB collectors will be handing out pin badges and giveaways in return for a donation to the charity.

With 88.9% of RSPB volunteers saying they find volunteering enjoyable and 90% saying they feel their efforts are always appreciated, this is an opportunity not to be missed!
Let’s take a moment and reflect on a few of these outstanding contributions from RSPB volunteers………

A keen amateur bird watcher and doctor, Angus Robin, wanted to give something back to the RSPB and ended up trekking to north-eastern Nepal. Whilst there, he provided vital medical support to the research team of Bird Conservation Nepal and assisted them in looking at species abundance in the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area. Luckily, his medical expertise was rarely called upon and although he initially felt like a fraud for his lack of bird knowledge, he supplied an invaluable ‘extra pair of eyes’ and saw over two hundred new bird species.

Back here in the UK, John Booth, having volunteered since he was a boy, started a male voice choir and organised two successful 60's/70's&80's disco nights raising thousands of pounds.

One man and his motorbike, Steve Rutherford, took his motorbike students and showed them the wonders of birds and recruited new members to the RSPB as he went. An ex-student emailed him to let him know which bike he had bought. He also told him he had identified a cuckoo in his garden.

A few months after Neil Davison’s daughter was born he decided to take her on runs in her buggy. He then discovered there was a world record title for running with a buggy and was determined to beat it! In the summer of 2008 as the new Guinness World Record holder for running with a buggy, Neil and his two young children took part in the RSPB’s Whitlingham Fun Run in Norfolk. He completed the 5Km run in first place saying ‘The event was beautiful with a really good atmosphere and everyone was friendly.’ After making his donation, his children were given a goody bag that contained some of our well-loved pin badges and these went on to inspire the family to buy a bird table. The children are now learning about their local garden birds – the next generation has been inspired!

So you see, no challenge is too great.

Gena Correale-Wardle, RSPB Love Nature Week organiser said, “Nature gives us so much pleasure all day every day. We are asking people to give the wildlife they love just two hours back.

“Just a little bit of time will make a huge difference to birds such as bitterns, lapwings and house sparrows and animals like water voles and otters.”

All it takes is two hours of your time to enthuse and excite people about the wealth of nature around them, and inspire like-minded folk to do their bit. Collections are taking place at 33 sites in the eastern region, from Holt to Harlow, Skegness to St Albans.
The RSPB’s very own staff troops will also be giving up their time in various locations across the region armed with a box of shiny pin badges to attract the magpie in you and get your support.

To register, visit www.rspb.org.uk. For more information on Love Nature Week in the Eastern region, call Gena Correale-Wardle on 01603 697521.