Volunteer Mrs J Gasson shares how she’s stepping up for nature conservation whilst sitting at her desk!
“After I retired, I wanted to do some charity work, but nothing that would need regular commitment. I am not a political animal but am interested in conservation and the natural world.
When I received a letter from the RSPB, of which I have been a member for some years, asking if I would take part in a lobbying campaign by writing a letter to my MP on an environmental issue it seemed the perfect opportunity.
Since then I have intermittently written to MPs, MEPS, parliamentary candidates and EU Commissioners on, among other things, the Countryside and Rights of Way Bill, the Policy Commission Report on the Future of Farming and Food, and the Marine Wildlife Conservation Bill.
This may sound very dry but it is not. The RSPB provides a brief on each topic giving the background and suggesting points to raise which makes the letter writing easy. If you’ve written about an issue and then see it in the press it becomes more interesting and you can think ‘I helped to influence that’. From time to time, the RSPB also produces a Campaign Update which tells you about progress, so you are not left wondering whether your efforts have made any difference.
Helping the RSPB in this way is not onerous and can be very rewarding. If anyone has a bit of time to spare and would like to help this could be a good way to get involved. You will be helping wildlife, birds in particular, but making life better for people too. At one time in my career I had to prepare replies to lobbying letters – albeit in a quite different field – and so I know how seriously the recipients take them. I have to confess to a sneaking satisfaction that my letters are keeping somebody else on their toes.”
Mrs J GassonVolunteer Letter writer
Find out how you can become a letter writing for the rspb here.
Already stepping up for nature? Everything from putting up nest boxes to lobbying your MP counts so tell us how you're doing your bit below.