Get Active: volunteer, experience, connect with the natural world

 
 
 
Get Active: volunteer, experience, connect with the natural world and put animal magic into your life! 

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  1. 9 ways to make a difference to our seas, beaches and marine life

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    Have you been inspired by the Blue Planet?  Have you been horrified by the pictures of sea life being caught up plastic?   

    Help our seas, beaches and marine life

    Well, here are 9 ways to help marine life, our seas and beaches, all with the Marine Conservation Society.

    The Society believes too much is being taken out and too much is being put into our seas.  Everyone involved in the Marine Conservation Society is passionate about  creating a sustainable future for our seas. 

    So 9 ways to make a difference to sea life:

    1. Become a sea champion
    2. Get active and help keep beaches clean
    3. Fundraise for the Marine Conservation Society
    4. Reduce your impact - do the plastic challenge!
    5. Support the charity's campaigns
    6. Offer company support
    7. Join them and become a member
    8. Sign up to their newsletter and receive news
    9. Discover more about the world's oceans and the life living in them

    Best of all, you don't need to live by the sea to make a difference!  

    Visit the Marine Conservation Society here

    		  

     

  2. Ultimate Guide to Hedgehogs

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    Hedgehogs are going through a rough time. 

    Since 2000, The People's Trust for Endangered Species estimate that we've lost 1 in 3 of the hedgehog population. 

    We had quite a surprise recently when our dog brought us a hedgehog late one evening.   We put him into a box, with a towel and some water, and put him into a darkened quiet room away from everything.  The following morning, we called the British Hedgehog Preservation Society for advice.  They were very helpful, and later that night we released our hedgehog into the garden.  Two days later, he - or she - had a hedgehog house!  

    So I was very pleased when I heard from Clive Harris, a fellow hedgehog lover.  Clive writes a gardening blog and he is passionate about hedgehogs. 

    Clive has written the Ultimate Guide to Hedgehogs.  It's a mine of information - do take a look.  There's information on where hedgehogs live, what they eat, whether they have any predators, whether they hibernate and how they help the garden. Also there's information on how you can help them, when to rescue them - and even how to pick a hedgehog up!

    Click on the hedgehog below to go to the Ultimate Guide to Hedgehogs. 

    Click here to see the Ultimate Guide to Hedgehogs

    And if you're looking for a gift for a hedgehog lover, why not give them a "Become a Hedgehog Helper" Gift Certificate with the East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service.  They can spend a morning spend the morning working at WRAS feeding and cleaning the hedgehogs, getting to handle some of them, as well as learning more about these fascinating creatures. Find out more here

  3. Who's in your garden?

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    Tuesday 11 July at 9pm

    I've just switched over to watch "The British Garden:  Life and Death on your Lawn" on BBC Four.

    Chris Packham and a group of experts from London's Natural History Museum  scrutinise the wildlife in gardens on a surburban street in Welwyn Garden City.  They do this for one year.

    Switch on to BBC Four to watch this 90 minute special.   It shows a world full of wildlife with snails, worms, foxes, woodlice and frogs.  It asks questions such as "are lawns any good for wildlife?"  (The wild garden lawn has 3 times as much insects - even letting our lawns grow a few inches helps.) 

    So to help wildlife, stop mowing all your grass and let some grow long. 

  4. Could you foster cats?

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    On reading my Cats Protection members' magazine last night (which is a great read, by the way, with lots of news and information about cats), I came across an appeal which I thought I'd pass on....

    Cats Protection are looking for people to be volunteer cat fosterers.

    Fostering, they point out, is a great way to help homeless cats and kittens.  If you can't have a cat long term, you can have one in the short term.  Fosterers take cats or kittens into their homes on a temporary basis.  They look after their every need until a new home can be found. 

    Fosterers with Cats Protection are linked to a local adoption centre or volunteer-run branch, so you'll be working with other cat enthusiasts to help the cats in your area and you'll need to be comfortable working with a team of people.   Therte's training and support for anyone wanting to become a fosterer - you can see a demo of the induction here

    Cats Protection are looking for volunteers to foster cats

    Trouble having a think about what to type next....or, more likely, wondering what's for dinner...

    There are adoption centres and volunteer-run branches all over the country.  Being a fosterer is a great way to do something practical for cats and help them, without owning a cat long term.  I volunteered for Cats Protection and it's a wonderful charity.  

    Click here to discover more about fostering for Cats Protection.  And there's a leaflet you can download about it here

    Miaow for now!

  5. Wanted! Volunteers to help red squirrels

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    Do you want to help red squirrels?

    The red squirrel is the UK’s only native squirrel species and was once widespread across our islands. Red squirrel populations have declined since the introduction of the grey squirrel in 1876, and it is now thought there are less than 140,000 red squirrels left in the wild.

    Red Squirrels United is the biggest ever partnership of academics, practitioners and volunteers.  They are working together on a scientifically robust programme of red squirrel conservation.  They are focusing on 9 main areas of squirrel populations across Northern Ireland, England and Wales.  
    Red squirrels need your help! ©Red Squirrels United

    Red Squirrels United need you!  

    Ways they need volunteers to help...

    • Put up camera traps and feeders
    • Enthuse the public and school children about red squirrels and teach them how they can help
    • Help monitor red squirrels by recording sightings click here. Red squirrel community groups monitor their local populations. You can help them by sharing any information on the health of the red squirrel and its location.
    • Report grey squirrel sightings here.as well to help Red Squirrels United target control where necessary.  This helps protect red squirrels from competition and disease.

    The National Trust has highlighted the 10 best places to see red squirrels on its properties.