Volunteer for Butterflies

Did you know that Butterfly Conservation have 32 regional branches around the UK? 

They all have willing volunteers ready to help the tiny butterfly, by undertaking any number of tasks such as:

- leading butterfly walks, moth events and countless conservation days,
- getting involved with publicity,
- helping with membership recruitment
- fundraising

There are also working parties, who participate in physical activities such as bashing scrub, planting trees or re-building stone walls on nature reserves.  The work is essential to help restore or maintain habitats for butterflies and moths. 

Yet more volunteers help track butterfly and moth populations, helping Butterfly Conservation with their survey work.  And training is available to help you report on these tiny creatures.

Finally 4 regional offices need help with admin and tasks such as  volunteers help database input, making up reports, cataloguing of materials, preparing mailings, and photocopying.  Find out more here. 

However much you know about butterflies, there will be something you can do, so visit Butterfly Conservation and get in a flutter to find ways to help make a difference.  As well as volunteering, the charity needs people to help in all sorts of ways such as giving donations, helping butterflies in your garden, helping children learn more about butterflies and becoming a member of the charity.   And if you're looking for a gift for a butterfly lover, buy a gift from Butterfly Conservation's online shop.

National Pet Month starts on 1st April 2015...

National Pet Month in the UK is getting closer and closer.   The event is an annual one and its aims are to:

promote responsible pet ownership

make people aware of the benefits of pets for people and people for pets

increase public awareness of services available from professionals who work with animals

raise awareness of the role, value and contribution to society of working companion animals

There is a different theme each year; in 2015, the theme of the month is: Pets and the elderly: enjoying later years together. 

The month hopes to raise awareness of the positive impact pets play in the lives of our elderly and to highlight the need for forever homes for older pets.  Older pets have much to offer, and many an older person will switch their heat on for their pet to keep warm but wouldn't put it on for themselves.  My website Get Active with Animals has more information about the elderly and their pets, and there's also a write up about therapy visits the Donkey Sanctuary's donkeys make to residential homes to meet the residents.  There's also tips on finding a pet friendly care home because they do exist!

If you're looking to help with dog walking, and you're willing to help an elderly person walk their pet, check out the Cinnamon Trust, a remarkable charity whose volunteers help with pet care for the elderly and terminally ill.  There are some wonderful case studies here of volunteers helping the elderly with their pets here.  

All too often, elderly pet owners have to give up their pets because they just can't care for them, and if a volunteer can step in and help with tasks such as walking, this can make all the difference - and also help prevent the sad event of pets and the elderly having to be parted, with the pet being sent to a rescue centre for re-homing.

There's plenty of ways to get involved, by running an event or joining an event someone else has organised, or you can hop onto one of the online communities and get stuck in.  You'll find these at

www.facebook.com/NationalPetMonth
www.twitter.com/NatPetMonthUK

and

www.facebook.com/JoinScratchingPost
www.facebook.com/JoinParkBench