Blogger: Laura White, PA to Public Affairs Manager
I went for a look see round our Minsmere reserve last week. We’ve done lots of wonderful work down there (we do lots of wonderful work on all our reserves, naturally!) but we’ve just created a Wild Zone and Wild Wood Adventure with all sorts of fun things to do, things you wouldn’t necessarily expect on a nature reserve and so we headed down to investigate before it opened to the public. I went with my entire Public Affairs team, it was great to spend time with them all and the coach trip down was an opportunity to catch up with everybody and find out what they’re all up to.
It turns out that in the Community Fundraising team Gena is working really hard preparing for Love Nature Week (6 May – 2 June. If you can spare an hour to help save nature, please get in touch) and our together for trees collections which will take place later on in the year. Matt is marvellously managing the poetry competition; I couldn’t think of a rhyme there so did you see what I did? Alliteration-ification!
The Communications team are busy working hard to get our message out about the Thames Estuary Airport and why it isn’t a good idea. The Youth & Volunteering team are busy getting ready for this season’s events and therefore having lots of fun making sure that the badge maker works and that we have enough wings for our dragonfly activity. And finally the Membership guys are doing a storming job – especially at Minsmere with the new Visitor reception with its new spangly welcome pods, site map and TV screen.
Unfortunately, the weather was unkind to us to say the least so we didn’t get to see all of the wonderful wildlife we were expecting. On our return to the office my rather dishevelled boss sadly mused that he was really looking forward to walking round the reserve to the sound of nightingales. I said he should have gone to Berkeley Square, where I was sure there’d be a lot less mud! And this got me to thinking, according to the beautiful song a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square but has one ever sang there? As it is a migratory bird and nests on the ground within or next to dense bushes, I’m perfectly willing to swear that this probably isn’t the case. But I’m also perfectly willing to swear that if you head down to Minsmere and the weather isn’t too terrible you might hear one sing!
Editors Note:
If you want to take a closer look for a nightingale, bittern, otter or even the lesser spotted public affairs team member then come down to RSPB Minsmere. We are all very proud to announce the opening of the NEW Wild Zone & Wild Wood Adventure this bank holiday weekend. Ever acted like a sand martin or built a den – well now is your chance (whatever age you may be).