Collector Wendy Knipe with the new 50th Anniversary pin badge
A pin badge created to mark the 50th anniversary of RSPB Bempton Cliffs has got avid collectors going wild to get their hands on it.
The special badge, featuring a puffin, has been in demand since its launch of 1st of January with collectors across the country inundating the RSPB team with requests for it.
Scott Davison-Smith, Visitor Operations Manager said:
‘We knew the new badge would be popular but we’ve been surprised at the level of interest. In the short term we’ve had to limit purchases to one per person so as not to disappoint visitors who’ll be making a trip here later in the year’.
One of the first to add the badge to her collection was Wendy Knipe, from Filey. Wendy has been a collector since around 2006 when she bought her first RSPB badge - a blackbird - from the Bempton Cliffs reserve. She now has around 1300 RSPB badges featuring all kinds of wildlife and over 4,500 other charity badges, all stored in files and shoeboxes that take up half her wardrobe.
Wendy was delighted to get hold of a badge early on and keep her collection complete:
‘It’s definitely on collectors’ ‘Most Wanted’ lists. I’ve seen this badge on ebay already for £20 and some of the earlier badges go for a lot more than that. One of my favourite designs - a rare gold puffin badge - was donated by The Book People to Bempton Cliffs and has got an asking price of £150 online.’
But pin badges are more than just collectors’ items or lapel decorations, as Scott explained:
‘These badges may only be small but they play a big part in our fundraising efforts. In 201-17, sales of them brought in over £500,000 and 70p from every £1 raised goes towards our conservation work. They really do help save nature and those that buy them can wear them with pride’.
RSPB pin badges came into being in 1997 when the charity neared a milestone in its membership numbers. Four birds featured in the ‘Million Members Stick Pin’ series – a bittern, a bullfinch, a puffin and a red kite. Since then there have been 250 standard designs released and the latest puffin badge seems set to cause even more of a stir than the first one.
The limited edition 50th anniversary puffin badge is available from the Seabird Centre for £2.