Bexley RSPB
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

Annual Reports
2007-8
2006-7
2005-6
2004-5
About the Group

The Bexley Local Group of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was formed in March 1979 with the main aim of providing a link between the national organisation and the then 1,100 members living in the London Borough of Bexley.

A newsletter, with details of the comprehensive programme of indoor and outdoor meetings, is sent free to all members in February and September. Those living outside the Borough can request copies of this and participate in local activities. Some 3,500 newsletters are now distributed in this way.

From September to May, indoor meetings are held once a month, usually on the third Friday, at Hurstmere School, Hurst Road, Sidcup (View Map) Up to 100 members normally attend these illustrated talks on a variety of bird and natural history themes by local and national speakers.

For most of the year there are also monthly coach trips to venues such as Minsmere, North Norfolk, Dorset and the Wye Valley. There are also regular half day car trips to some of the many local areas of interest.

During the winter months, we have monthly work parties in North Kent. These are usually at the RSPB reserve Northward Hill in Halstow, but can be at Shorne. More information can be found on the Work Party page.

The Group has a wide variety of free information leaflets. Close relations are maintained with Bexley Recreation Department and other local conservation organisations.

In its activities the Group aims to cater for the interests and enthusiasm of all, from the experienced, active and well-equipped to the absolute beginner who would like to learn more about birds, where to find them and how to identify them. There are experienced members to give advice and we aim to encourage all age groups.


ANNUAL REPORT 2008-9

Group Leader John Turner delivered the following report to members at the Bexley Local Group annual meeting at Hurstmere School, Sidcup, on Friday 15 May 2009.

Highlight of the year was the donation of a £3500 cheque to the RSPB to be allocated to work at Cliffe Pools. In addition sales raised £406 and membership raised £525 also to be allocated to Cliffe. The latest bid for the Cliffe Pools Reserve has been unsuccessful, so major work will continue at a much slower rate. However the car park and entrance road in Salt Lane are nearly completed.

The expansion of Winship Wood and the erection of a memorial seat to both Carole and Michael Winship are now complete.

Congratulations to Tony Banks and Eric Brown for their 15 year long service awards.

Indoor Meetings
These were again well attended. The most original presentation was by Bill Coster with The Pacific North-West of the USA. Thanks to Alan Mayes for organising our speakers.

Coach Trips
The coach trips have again run successfully with our coach company L S Travel proving to be both reliable and recommendable. This year’s trips were Titchfield Haven, Cley in the snow, Titchwell and Rye Harbour. The Weeting Heath and Lakenheath trip is coming up on Sunday 21 June. All trips were very well booked and I hope we maintain this level of interest for the future. Thanks to Tony for all his hard work and to all trip leaders.

Car Trips
The trips were well attended. Venues included Grove Ferry, Rainham Marshes, Dungeness, Riverside Country Park, Ashdown Forest and Oare Marshes. We have also continued to run impromptu mid-week trips to Riverside Country Park, Bough Beech, Sevenoaks, Rye Harbour and Cliffe. Future trips at the time of reporting are to Northward Hill on 16 May for the dawn chorus and Stodmarsh for the later risers also on 16 May. Thanks to all trip leaders for their time and efforts.

Conservation
Work parties have been hacking through the undergrowth at Northward Hill throughout the winter and have been very ably organised and overseen by Chas Parr. Thanks to Chas and his volunteers. He is always looking for more volunteers.

Publicity
This has been in the capable hands of Eric Brown. There has been less this year with the closing of the Bexley Extra and the removal of club activities in the News Shopper and The Kentish Times.

He has also run the website and you can see an updated, current and attractive site. Thanks to Eric for all his time and effort and to Sarah Beacock and Chris Knight our webmasters.

Fund Raising
Our two chief fund raising efforts were the Autumn Fair and Spring Plant Fair which raised over £840 in profit (£200 more than last year). Other events attended were the Family Fun Day at Well Hall Pleasaunce in August and the Danson Show in July. Chas has been ever-present with his Tombola and Lucky Dip. We have seen the launch of the 200 Club and we will maintain our numbers if everybody renews. We urge you to do so by the end of the month (31 May). Grand Draw prizes have been increased to £60, £30 and £15. Thanks to Maurice Ewart for promoting this fund raising effort. You can see the total amounts raised in the annual accounts.

Thanks also to Brian for promoting the raffle which again raised over £1000 for the RSPB. He is now hoping to move on and we are looking for a new promoter for 2010. Many thanks Brian for helping to raise so much money for the RSPB over the last five years.

Sales have also been a big contributor our fund raising. Thanks to Maureen and Anthea for their efforts this year in raising nearly £2000 and to Tricia Large who has volunteered to assist.

Pin badges have raised an unofficial figure of £1761 and robin boxes £308. Added to our donations we have raised £5500 for the work of the RSPB.

A huge vote of thanks must go to Maureen Thompson our Treasurer who has worked so hard this year

Recruitment
This is an area where we need to continue our efforts in the coming year and concentrate on recruitment as well as fund raising at outside events. The current membership of the RSPB locally is 3500+ but we have received notification of 269 new members in the last quarter. Events attended have had membership forms available as well as name gathering cards. Name gathering on behalf of the RSPB is an activity which can introduce non members to the RSPB and possibly lead to their recruitment; over 500 were distributed last year. Thanks to Maurice Ewart for co-ordinating these activities particularly as he has now resigned from this post. We welcome Stuart Banks as our new co-ordinator.

Communication
This year we have reached all the RSPB membership in our area with our twice yearly newsletter. However we are always in need of distributors so please put your name forward as a reserve for your area. Our thanks go to all the 130 volunteers who deliver these and to Alan Mayes, Dorothy Wells and Helen Burgess for the maintenance and updating of our records. Thanks also to Steve Ansell for producing the newsletter.

We have also attempted to reach the public with activities on ‘Feed the Birds Day’ in October and ‘The Big Garden Bird Watch’ in January when we set up feeders and telescopes at Hall Place to encourage people to take part.

A number of members took part at the peregrine viewpoint at Tate Modern last July and August where over 3000 visitors were contacted. If you are interested in taking part in this please come and have a word.

Volunteering
As you have heard a few names have occurred many times in this report and in order to maintain all our current activities which you enjoy and to expand them we need people to step forward and help to share the burden. I would urge you to volunteer!

You do not have to be a member of the committee to volunteer. If you would be willing to help in any of the following ways your time and effort would be appreciated.

Assistance on our stall at the Danson Show and at Eltham Well Hall and helping at our two fairs. A group on whom we could call would be a huge help.

Mind a pin badge box or collection box in your area placed in a local tourist spot, supermarket, retail store, hotel or pub-restaurant. This requires servicing once a month. This year £1760 has been raised by the group.

A PROMOTER FOR THE RAFFLE

Could you fill any of these roles and continue to expand the efforts of the Bexley Local Group?

JOHN TURNER

THANKS

My thanks go to

The committee, who have worked so hard.

Tricia Large for helping on our sales stall and placing and servicing so many pin badge boxes and collection boxes.

Sylvia Say for selling peanuts and seeds at Indoor meetings and at the Spring and Autumn Fairs and some fetes.

Beverley Treece for co-ordinating the re-cycling of computer cartridges and mobile phones.

Laura Hurt for volunteering to find sites for pin-badge boxes.

Alan and Jean Mayes who provide our refreshments so efficiently and sort used stamps.

Maureen Thompson and Roy Lewis for organising the raffle every month.

All helpers at fairs and fetes

My wife Jeanna for all the support she gives me.

How about joining this list of volunteers and enhance the work of the RSPB?

Group Leader

As I stated in the newsletter my five-year tenure as group leader ends next year and a replacement is needed. Nobody has volunteered to join the committee to learn the ropes and take over. The group has 12 months to find a new leader or it will then be under notice of closure by the RSPB.

 
Copyright © 2001-2010 Bexley Local Group
All rights reserved. No reproduction in any form, permitted without prior permission
Site designed and maintained by
Adrem Design