Dame Judi Dench joins Calibre Audio as Patron Weston Turville-based Calibre Audio is Calibre Audio is the only national charity delighted to announce Dame Judi Dench as in the UK to provide a completely free for the charity’s new Patron. life audiobook service to anyone who has a disability that makes reading print difficult. The Academy Award winning actress’s Their 15,000+ members have conditions career has spanned over half a century such as dyslexia, a visual or cognitive with roles such as Queen Elizabeth I in impairment or any other health condition Shakespeare in Love and M in the Bond that makes reading the printed word films, leading her to become one of Britain’s difficult or impossible, such as multiple best-loved actresses. sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease (MND), In 2012 Dame Judi was diagnosed with age- Parkinson’s and arthritis. Calibre exists to related macular degeneration (AMD), a connect members to books in the format common condition that affects the middle they require, delivering 1,700 books per day part of your vision in later life. Age-related via streaming, download and memory sticks macular degeneration is the biggest cause – providing stimulation, companionship, of sight loss in the UK, affecting more than learning and escape. Calibre Audio is 600,000 people. Dame Judi has previously delighted to have Dame Judi on board and shared how her vision loss has impacted is looking forward to an exciting future her life; she has had to find other ways for working together. learning lines and can no longer read books. She is hoping that by supporting Calibre she will be able to bring the world of reading to as many people as possible who cannot access printed books.
Speaking of the announcement, Anthony Kemp, CEO of Calibre Audio said: “We are thrilled that Dame Judi shares our belief that everyone should be able to experience the joy of reading without the barrier of
disability, and with Dame Judi’s support we hope to reach even more people, so that everyone who would really benefit from accessing our audiobooks knows how to find us.”
photo - Robert Wilson
Dame Judi said: “I am delighted to have been invited to be a Patron of such a worthwhile charity. Their dedication and passion for making the joy of reading available to all is something I wholeheartedly support. Without charities such as Calibre, those dealing with sight loss or other conditions such as dyslexia are denied the opportunity to read – a pleasure that most of us take for granted.”
New Plan launched to address local Wildlife decline: Can you become wilder? A new Biodiversity Action Plan has been launched to urge action for wildlife across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. Published by the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Natural Environment Partnership (the “NEP”), the Plan, “Forward to 2030”, sets out important ambitions and targets for nature in our area to 2030. Nature and wildlife are vital to life, our economies and communities. As well as being important homes for wildlife, we all rely on nature for food, clean air and water, to help prevent flooding, for natural resources and for physical and mental health and wellbeing.
combating and adapting to it. Other pressures on our local nature include population growth and development, changes in land use and unsustainable land management, the overuse of resources, generation of waste, pollution and pests and diseases.
to deliver on promises to help reduce and adapt to climate change continues. This new and improved Biodiversity Action Plan sets out clear targets and nature-based actions we can all take to ensure our biodiversity continues to thrive despite the pressures it faces.
The NEP’s new Biodiversity Action Plan (https://bucksmknep.co.uk/forwardto-2030/) aims to reverse biodiversity decline by 2030 and to create more, bigger, better and more joined-up habitats across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. The BAP sets a series of objectives to achieve this aim, including to increase the overall area of land positively managed for wildlife and priority habitats, improve existing habitats, connect quality habitats across the landscape, improve people’s connectedness with nature and ensure biodiversity is a key factor in the design of the urban environment and new developments.
"We all have a role to play in recognising the importance of the nature around us, and in doing our bit to protect and conserve it, to create and improve wilder areas, connect them up and take care of them into the long term to make sure nature continues to provide us all with many the benefits that we rely on.
But whilst Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes may appear green and pleasant, globally we are in the middle of a mass extinction event and there are multiple threats to nature at all scales. As the recent COP 26 meeting highlighted, our nature is under severe pressure from climate change, Chris M Williams, the NEP’s Chair, said yet can also help provide natural solutions to “With COP26 behind us, the important work 26
Wendover News January 2022
"As a partnership, we encourage all sectors and everyone in the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes area in particular, to take action, however small, to support our biodiversity goals. There are lots of ideas on our website of how you can help and get involved and we’d love to hear about what you choose to do.” What can you do in your patch?
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