Huntingdonshire Local Group

The Huntingdonshire Local Group has been active promoting the work of The Wildlife Trust in the old county of Huntingdonshire for more than 30 years. It is made up of supporters of the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. It is local, run by local volunteers, helping to raise awareness of wildlife conservation and nature reserves through events and activities. It encourages people to become members and volunteers; it also raises money to help fund the Trust’s valuable work.

Everyone is welcome to attend meetings and events organised by the group. All ages can join us, but please note that a responsible adult must accompany children (under 18s).

It’s not necessary to be a member of the Wildlife Trust to join in with the Huntingdonshire Local Group activities, however, if you do join, your annual subscription directly benefits local wildlife.

Group description and history

The group is composed of a committee, which in 2022 was composed of Co-Chairs, a Treasurer, Secretary, Event’s Organiser, Newsletter Editor and an IT and social media moderator.

In 1986 the embryo Beds & Hunts Wildlife Trust began a process of establishing local groups. The Huntingdon and St Ives areas were a starting point, leading to the Huntingdonshire Local Group, which exists today. A founding member of the group, Martin Baker is still a member of the current group committee.

The Group has evolved over 36 years, incorporating St Ives and St Neots to cover the old county of Huntingdonshire. Over the years we have organised regular walks and talks. The latter have been particularly successful with attendance regularly seventy or more. Special events, such as reserve open days, BBQs, focus on habitats and attendance representing the Trust at local fetes have all been part of our volunteering activities. Since 2004 the group has also produced twice yearly Newsletters.

We have been the Huntingdonshire CAMRA beer festival charity for many years, regularly collecting funds for the Trust. Together with money from other group activities we have contributed two-three thousand pounds annually.

During the last eight years we have raised £30,000 for the Trust. In 2018 we donated £5,000, which George handed to former Director of Business Engagement, Oliver Burke, at our December meeting for the Cambridgeshire Woodlands Appeal.

Although our activities were curtailed during the Covid Pandemic we managed to hold Zoom talks and a number of guided walks.

Description of group activities

Organising walks and talks is a major part of our work. Indoor meetings are held in Brampton Memorial Hall every second Wednesday of the month, September to March. Our field meetings include Wildlife Trust nature reserves and other local wildlife ‘hot spots’. Normally these are held from April to August providing opportunities for members of the public to experience some of nature’s local treasures, led by knowledgeable locals including group members.

Members of the committee are also volunteer wardens on local Wildlife Trust nature reserves, organising work parties, leading walks and giving talks to other wildlife groups including those that form part of the Trust.

How to get involved

By becoming a member of the group and a member of the Trust you can help protect local wildlife, there are six ways to get involved:

Join the Group - please contact Tim Fryer at timpfryer@gmail.com.
Join the committee – usually held on Wednesday evenings, regular committee meetings are held to discuss and organise the programme of events and activities.
Come along to winter meetings – learn about wildlife through illustrated talks and meet local people.
Come along to summer events – visit our local reserves, identify plants, learn about habitat conservation or just join in on one of the social events.
Join a work party – there are fifteen local reserves where there is always opportunities for practical work (the Green Gym).
Volunteer - to do various non-committee jobs, such as putting up posters, putting out and taking in chairs for meetings, back marking walks, helping at Beer Festivals.
Donate - or persuade your friends to take our coin collecting boxes.
Follow us on Facebook - keep updated on what the group are getting up to.