As regular readers may remember, I will be leaving the RSPB at the end of April - 28 April will be my last working day.
From now on, starting on Monday, I'm going to make this blog a bit less topical and use it to comment on some of the conservation issues that face the RSPB and nature conservation in the years ahead. I hope you'll find it interesting and stimulating.
Although - you never know - I might be tempted to comment on current affairs too - I can resist everything except temptation.
Yesterday the RSPB organised a lovely event to celebrate my arrival at 25 years of working for the organisation. Three valued colleagues lied outrageously about the contribution I had made and a number of friends from outside the RSPB (ex Council, ex staff, journalists, academics and colleagues from other NGOs - but all friends) came and joined in. And there were cakes! So many cakes, and so delicious. It was a lovely event, meant a lot to me and I'd like to thank everyone who came, cooked, contributed and/or chatted. Thank you!
We all wish you well Mark, and trust that whatever you do after the 28th April, you will continue to use your great skills and talents directly or indirectly in the cause of nature conservation. (Keep off the cakes though, there are not good for your training for the 2012 Olympics).