Dear Badger Group Members
We have lots of updates for you in this newsletter, ranging from the Cull Campaign including our cull report, a farmer survey, and lobby of Parliament in July, to Crime with the Coalition Against Hunting Campaign launch and the fantastic news that Wales has banned snares! There are also new group resources, dates for the next Regional Groups Online Meetings, links to the Groups Shared Resources Folder, and links for the previous e-newsletters, so you can easily share them with your members.
Updated 'Badgers in Gardens' and new 'Cull Alert' leaflets now available! The content, format, and how Badger Trust leaflets are used by groups has been reviewed and we are pleased to let you know that we have now updated the popular 'Badgers in Gardens' leaflet. In addition, there is a new 'Cull Alert' leaflet. This can be used by groups to publicise to residents who live in cull areas, that the cull is ongoing. There are two versions, one that mentions night patrols, and one that doesn't for those groups that do not undertake them. There is also a space for groups to add their own contact details on the leaflet. Leaflets will now be available for groups to use as downloads and can be found in the 'Leaflet Folder' in Groups Shared Library > They are available in three different formats including PDF, so can be emailed and shared, or you can decide to print them if your group still uses them in that way.
Representatives of badger groups from across the country, coming together to call for an end to the cull and the rejection of a cull extension. Working in collaboration with Born Free, Wildlife Link, and other organisations, we are calling on all badger groups to write to your MP, to invite them to meet you at the lobby. The Lobby will draw MP's attention to the ongoing badger cull and plans to extend it via epidemiological culling on behalf of your badger group and constituent area.
What we need you to do:
Send a letter to invite your MP. Find your MP and their contact details >
Ask them to come to a pre-arranged meeting in the Houses of Parliament on 12th July at 14.30 pm to hear your concerns about the badger cull and the plans to extend it. Example letter >
Let us know you are attending so we can manage numbers by completing this form >
We are calling to End the Cull, not extend it!
The plan for the day is: * 13.00 pm - Meet us on the grass opposite the House of Commons * 13.30 pm - Photo opportunity of all attendees on the grass opposite the House of Commons (with campaign materials). * 14.30 pm - We all go together through security to Central Lobby and MPs will be called down to meet us. NB: Once we go into security, we cannot take any campaign items, or wear anything campaign-related eg a t-shirt saying stop the cull. (Full information at plan your visit to House of Commons & Security). If you do not write to your MP ahead of time they can still be called down when you arrive at Central Lobby, but may decide not to attend. Ahead of the event, we will give more details including a briefing document with key facts to help with your conversations. We would love all Badger Groups to be represented, to have their voices heard, and to speak up for your badgers. #EnoughIsEnough It is time to #EndTheCull
As part of our report 'Tackling Bovine TB Effectively Together: Towards Sustainable, Scientific, and Effective bTB Eradication', we have launched a survey for farmers to better understand those who have been impacted by bovine TB.The aim of the survey is also to understand farmers' viewpoints on the government’s current bTB eradication strategy in England. Farmer Survey > We are asking groups to share this with farmers in your county, particularly beef and dairy farmers, to ensure we get a representative number of responses.
Coalition Against Hunting Badger Trust is part of the #TimeForChange Coalition Against Hunting and is pleased to attend the campaign launch on 29 June. The #TimeForChange coalition, of more than 30 leading animal welfare charities, is calling for exemptions in the law to be removed and trail hunting to be outlawed. Only by taking these steps will hunting be properly banned in England and Wales. Scotland has led the way in tightening hunting laws and it’s time for England and Wales to do the same. View the mission video > and join us in calling on the government to strengthen and improve the Hunting Act 2004. WWW.TIMEFORCHANGECOALITION.CO.UK Badger Groups are regularly dealing with hunt-related blocked setts between October and March. Blocking setts is not only illegal but highlights that the hunt are not taking part in legal trail hunting. Badger sett interference is the most common form of badger crime, accounting for over 58% of all reported crimes. Shockingly, 25% of these reports relate to illegal fox hunting. Badger Trust previously spoke to Badger Group volunteers about their experiences protecting badgers in hunt season > It's #TimeForChange
Northern Ireland Badger Group receives National Wildlife Crime Unit challenge coin and certificate The Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Rural and Wildlife Crime lead, Superintendent Johnston McDowell, alongside Richard Gray from Northern Ireland Environmental Agency, who co-chair the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime Northern Ireland (PAWNI), made the presentation to Peter Clarke and Mike Rendle for their dedicated services and commitment to badger crime across Northern Ireland and contributions to the PAW group over many years. Also reported in Farming Life. The Northern Ireland Badger Group works tirelessly for badgers and is also heavily involved in campaigning against a cull in NI and the associated legal challenges. Congratulations and Thank You from all of us!
* Letter to Therese Coffey from Badger Trust and other nature-focused organisations * Born Free, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, HSI UK, IFAW, and the RSPCA also share Badger Trust’s concerns that DEFRA has been under pressure to pursue a continued badger culling policy whilst neglecting the vital cattle biosecurity measures, particularly cattle vaccination, needed to bring bovine TB under control. * Therese Coffey pledges badger cull will continue * Comments from Defra Secretary at Royal Cornwall Show reported in Farmers Guardian. Badger Trust News article response > * Wales becomes the first country in the UK to ban snares * On 27 June, members of the Senedd in Wales voted through a total ban on snares as part of the Agriculture (Wales) Bill. Badgers are the most commonly killed non-target animal caught by cruel and archaic snares. Badger Trust has called for an immediate ban on snares used to trap native wildlife and has previously shared the harrowing story from one of our member Badger Groups who dealt with a snared badger. * Brexit was supposed to save the badgers - instead we're killing more than ever * Opinion piece from Fleet Street Fox in The Mirror. * Badger Trust launches farmer survey * Press coverage includes FarmingUK and vettimes.
Next Badger Trust Grant Deadlines Monday 21st August 2023 More detailed grant Information >
Regional Group Online Meetings * NORTH * Tuesday 19th September 2023, 7pm. REGISTER > * WEST & SOUTH WEST * Thursday 21st September 2023, 7pm. REGISTER > * EAST & SOUTH EAST * Monday 25th September 2023, 7pm. REGISTER > Group Resources The shared library has lots of resources for groups, so please take a look. Groups Resource Library > eNews links Review previous enews updates or link to them in your newsletters. Access links to previous newsletters >
Please do share Badger Trust news with your members or ask them to sign up for these updates.
If you have any questions about any of the information in the newsletters, need advice or support with something, or just want to chat about your group and badgers, please do contact us! Whatever you're up to for badgers, we'd like to hear about it! Let us know via groups@badgertrust.org.uk and we can profile your wonderful work nationally. Sally Jones Groups Coordinator
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