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The Friends of Hilbre Newsletter
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Public Open Days of the
Telegraph Station Lookout
Staffing the exhibition
in the Telegraph Station Lookout Building and running seal watching for
the public involve guiding visitors and giving information. Eight events
are scheduled, all on Sundays, over low tide around midday. Volunteer
staff must be Friends of Hilbre members because of insurance.
Friends of
Hilbre members staff the Wirral Ranger Service Mobile Information Unit (MIU)
on selected dates between March and October at Dee Lane slipway, West
Kirby. Bookings for other events/venues will be arranged throughout the
year. For dates please see: MIU Events. Volunteers need:
All tasks are at
weekends, and last over the high tide. Members of the Friends of Hilbre
wishing to volunteer their help will meet at Dee Lane slipway and bring
lunch, a drink and suitable clothing and shoes. Members have received task
dates by post in the paper copy of this Newsletter. The Friends of Hilbre Family Evening This event will be in August for members of the Friends of Hilbre and their families. The date of the family walk is in the paper copy of the Newsletter. Children over 5 years old will be welcome if accompanied by an adult. These walks have been led by Sue who has shared her extensive knowledge and her love of the islands with children and adults alike. All participants have enjoyed the walks under Sue’s leadership. Why not join us next time? Wirral Borough Council, which owns the islands, is hoping to install composting toilets on the main island for visitors’ use. For further information please see News Flash.
If plans turn out well, there should soon be improved facilities for organised parties to use the Barn Room, near to the Lookout, for day visits. Casual visitors will still be able to call in the Lookout on scheduled Open Days, when Friends of Hilbre should be in attendance, and the seal watching telescope set up, (weather permitting).
School and college study parties, wild life groups, ramblers and others should watch later in 2007 for the contact address to enquire about using the Barn. All party bookings, as before, must have a date and a free permit from Wirral Country Park, 0151 648 4371 to avoid the over-use of this fragile nature reserve.
Our Grants Sub Committee
has made contacts during the last 12 months, and has received over
£2,000.00 from Wirral Borough Council’s Community Initiative Fund, and the
Local Agenda 21 Funding. This has been spent on books for the study room,
which are available now to organised parties, and will be more easily
available in the new Day Centre, when the Barn is ready. A young Common seal found in Lancashire was released by the RSPCA into the Dee estuary near Hilbre. Our own seals are Grey Atlantic seals, but Common seals visit us occasionally. Good luck to our new neighbour. Archive Appeal Do you have any old photographs, film footage, videos, articles, books, or stamps etc. relating to the Hilbre Islands that you are willing to share? If so, please could you contact us on our e-mail address. Copies could be made, and originals returned to their owners if required. Contributions to the Friends of Hilbre Newsletter The Do you have a memory to share? If anyone would like to make a contribution to the Newsletter please e-mail it to thefriendsofhilbre@hotmail.com. The editor reserves the right to edit any submission. Notes for the Annual General Meeting in May 2007 We are making these advance notes available to members, so that there
is plenty of time to receive nominations, ideas, etc. for inclusion in the
meeting. Wednesday 23rd May 2007 - 7.30pm Seal Watching Refresher/Training Day, March 2007 Following seal watching training last year a Seal Watching Group was formed from participating members of the Friends of Hilbre. Dave Cavanagh, the Hilbre Ranger, will be running another enjoyable and informative refresher/training session for members in March this year. Those who attended the training day last year and members new to this group will be warmly welcomed. It’s fun learning about the seals and how to use our telescope!
Every trained volunteer will be expected to commit to one or more Seal Watching Days later this year, working in pairs or more, usually on Telegraph Station Lookout Open Days. The training day will provide volunteers with an insight into the lives of the Atlantic Grey Seals in the Dee Estuary and the ability to share this knowledge with members of the public. You will learn to use our telescope and an information pack will be provided. Wear sensible clothing and footwear, bring a snack. Drinks provided. Binoculars are useful. A limited number of lifts to Hilbre will be available. All participants must be over eighteen, and members of the Friends of Hilbre because of insurance. To reserve your place on the refresher/training day {and lift if needed} please contact the Hilbre Ranger: Dave Cavanagh on 0151 632 4455 (before 6pm, please). Please let Dave know if you should find you are unable to come. or e-mail Val on: thefriendsofhilbre@hotmail.com Always check the tides before going out to Hilbre. Tides change each day. Use the safe route, it is dangerous to use any other route. For full details of when to cross safely and the safest route to Hilbre see our Planning your visit to Hilbre Island page. PLEASE NOTE: All articles and photographs in this web site are © COPYRIGHT of Friends of Hilbre unless specifically otherwise stated.
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