A Barnstorming night of fundraising!

On Friday 22nd March Amphibian & Reptile Conservation staff had the pleasure of attending the launch night of Dominik’s Wildlife Fund at the Colbury Memorial Hall in Southampton.

Dominik Reynolds, who has just turned 13, has worked as a volunteer for the RSPB for the last four years. We were introduced at our ARC Friends Day held last year where he made an impression on all of us. I have never met such a passionate young person as Dom who lives and breathes wildlife and conservation. Dom has been making a name for himself all over the country by speaking at conferences, on the radio, writing articles and representing the RSPB at Number 10 Downing Street spreading the conservation message and becoming a voice for young conservationists in the UK.

Dom set up his Wildlife Fund to raise money for deserving charities and conservation groups over future years.  In 2013 the two charities he has decided to spend a year fundraising for is RSPB and ARC.

The launch night barn dance was the first of the fundraisers to take place and an entertaining night was had by all! Our CEO Dr Tony Gent and his wife Jenny enjoyed barn dancing the night away to the band Murphy’s Lore who were great at getting everyone up to their feet and teaching them the dances. The raffle was popular and the prizes included days out, wildlife themed gifts and pictures donated by Chris Packham who inspired Dom to set the fund up.

I would like to thank Dominik and his Mum Kerry who put so much hard work and energy in to the evening which was a great success. Well done!

Richie Johnson, Gary Powell, Angela Reynolds and Tony Gent with Kerry and Dominik Reynolds

Vacancy for a Scottish Project Officer

ARC has secured funding from Scottish Natural Heritage for a new three year project focusing on developing wider involvement in Scottish Amphibian and Reptile Conservation.  This is a full time, three year post and will be based at Caledonian Conservation in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire.  Salary £21,000 p.a. 
Applications are invited from people with a good knowledge of herpetofauna and excellent interpersonal skills.  Demonstrable experience working on herpetofauna conservation in Scotland and in particular with the voluntary sector will be a considerable advantage. 
Go to www.arc-trust.org/jobs for full details of the vacancy, job description, person specification and application form.  Closing date 28th March 2013.  Interviews to be held on 12th April 2013 in Hamilton.

Make CAP Count!

If there’s one single thing that has shaped the UK’s countryside over the last 50 years, it's the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the EU-wide system of payments to farmers and land managers worth over £3 billion a year in the UK.

The Wildlife Trusts believe the CAP must be radically reformed to protect and restore the ecosystems on which people and wildlife depend. Linking payments from the CAP to environmental measures, such as creating flower-rich field margins for insects and farmland birds, would help restore nature across the UK.

On 13 March 2013, the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have an historic opportunity to reform the CAP. As our elected representatives in Brussels, it is vital that MEPs hear the voice of their constituents and make the CAP count for a Living Landscape.

Send a message to your MEP to vote for farming that supports nature:

**CLICK HERE!**

This campaign is supported by the following organisations in the UK: