Since my contribution for the last Bedfordshire newsletter I have had my first visit to a school since before the first lockdown. It was so wonderful to be back in a school doing what I love – inspiring young people to love and look after their local green spaces. It was a pleasure to visit Hexton JMI School in school and run part of our ‘Tiny Creatures of the Big Hills’ schools programme. The children were so enthusiastic to learn of the creatures who live on the Hills and to talk about ways in which we can all help to look after wildlife. All being well in spring these same children will be joining me on Pegsdon Hills to see if we can find any of the plants and animals we were talking about in school.

I have been in touch with many of our local schools and will be contacting them again in the new year in the hope we can take our ‘Tiny Creatures Program’ into more schools very soon.  If you work in local primary schools or run youth groups such as Beavers or Brownies and would like us to come and deliver our programme, or do an assembly to your group please get in touch with me at sarah.cowling@wildlifebcn.org. Click here for more information about our community engagement opportunities here in Bedfordshire.   

So far this autumn/winter I have also had the pleasure of running 3 Youth Ranger Sessions along with help from the reserves team and with support from volunteers Nigel, Rob and Jason.

Having recently combining the Flitvale and NCC groups to make the Bedfordshire Youth Rangers we now meet once a month across the county. We try to alternate days and locations so that the majority of the group (23 young people on our mailing list) can come to at least one in every 3 sessions. We regularly have 9-12 young people attend each session. In September we did some scrub management at Blow’s Downs, October saw us bracken pulling at Cooper’s Hill and in November we did some winter management for our friends at Flitwick Manor Park. December’s session will be an end of year celebration and scrub clearing at Totternhoe.

In discussion with my event volunteers we decided to take this year’s winter talk programme online.

So far we have successfully hosted two online talks, ‘Banking on Butterflies’ and ‘Changing habitats and wildlife’. Both have had 25+ people in attendance and feedback has been positive. “A good reminder of how rich and varied the wildlife is in Bedfordshire.” “Mr Bellamy gave a very interesting and lovely presentation injected with a bit of convivial humour…It's wonderful that the team have documented these changes which possibly, could be used as a historical baseline to inform restoration initiatives.” I’d like to thank Ryan and Graham for their hugely informative talks and we are already looking forward to Gwen’s talk on Wednesday 9^th Feb – What I did on my sabBATical. If you would like to join us please visit Online Talk: What I did on my sabBATical... | Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs & Northants (wildlifebcn.org)

We couldn’t do what we do without our team of volunteers. I am very much looking forward to catching up with our Totternhoe and Blow’s Downs volunteer walking wardens in the New Year. They do a tremendous job for us being those extra eyes and ears on our reserves when we can’t be there. I have recently inducted 2 new Volunteer Walking Wardens to join the Blow’s Downs team and am thrilled to welcome them on board.

I would like to wish you all a happy and healthy Christmas and may 2022 be all you hope it to be.

With best wishes, Sarah