The
October 2012 Magazine No.170
Harrier Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group
Editorial
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n the last Harrier I dwelt on some conservation issues – this time I’m closer to home, but I trust I’m not being self indulgent when I say, I want to talk about Council’s efforts on your behalf.
It takes a great deal of effort to propel the Group forward, but that is what the Council’s activity this year continues to do.
Improved presentation First up, you’ll have noted a number of initiatives. The Group’s standard of presentation has come on apace with a new set of display boards, a flier, a PowerPoint presentation and, of course, the business card/presenter (as previously included in the Harrier) – which will be re-printed early next year. Every item features the same new slogan – SOG ‘For birds & for birders’ – that neatly summarises the Group’s role. Articles about us have appeared in Local Wildlife News and the Suffolk Biodiversity Partnership newsletter. We hope to soon appear in the Suffolk Norfolk Life magazine too. There have also been regular articles in the Ipswich Evening Star and news about us on the SOG Twitter feed. Then the SOG display has been seen at Chantry Park, Legal & General’s call centre in Ipswich and fund raising at Sainsbury’s Warren Heath. So it is safe to say our presence is not only improved, but increasing too.
Added fund-raising Then there has been successful fund-raising
activity too. Along with several generous donations from Legal and General we have also pitched for funding from the Suffolk Naturalist’s Society. This was successful and we’re very grateful to SNS for supplying sufficient monies to allow us to purchase a new SOG laptop. Once that arrives our webmaster will then make a start on our long overdue website ‘spring-clean’ – so look out for the results over the next three months or so. Next there was the sponsored bird race in which ten teams participated on September 15th. All achieved very respectable scores (see the article), but more importantly a fourfigure sum was secured (we’ll publish the final figures in December) allowing us to purchase equipment for the county recorders. Upon the completion of a biodiversity survey, monies are also expected from Viridor for their site at Lackford. This report has been well received and we have been asked to continue next year. If any members want to help with our surveys or to engage our surveying services, in return for a small fee and our expenses, do get in touch with the Editor. Our departing Treasurer, Bill Stone, who stands down at the end of the year, has also been working with SNS to secure our share of the membership Gift Aid monies. In effect this THE HARRIER – October 2012
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