Malta Optics Appeal

As most local birders will know I attended the Birdlife Raptor Camp on Malta in September this year with several friends from the Halifax Bird Watchers Club. Since our return the Club’s Conservation Group, of which I am Secretary, has been engaged in fund raising on behalf of Birdlife and the ALE. [Administrative Law Enforcement]

The ALE do a remarkable job with very limited resources and their work is made all the more difficult by the lack of financial support from the Maltese Govt. One of the consequences of the lack of funding is that they are not provided with optics; a point I made at the time during the press conference and since to the Maltese Govt. via Birdlife Malta. Unfortunately things are unlikely to change in the near future.

The aim of the Conservation Group is to try and rectify this shortfall by generating sufficient funding to purchase optics for use by the ALE before spring 2008. We have undertaken several fund raising events so far and others are in the pipeline. Along with raising direct funding, i.e. cash, we are collecting unused optics which we will donate, sell to raise more cash or trade in when we buy the optics early next year.

Once purchased, the optics will be presented to Birdlife Malta who will in turn loan them to the ALE for the duration of the spring and autumn migration periods. It is then hoped that the ALE will be more efficient in their efforts to prevent and detect crimes against the birds, something I know is very close to your heart.

I would be grateful if you would consider making a donation to the project either by the way of a cheque or unused optics, please?

Please send optics or make cheques payable to ‘Calderdale Bird Conservation Group’ and forward to the Treasurer:

Andrew Cockroft
9 Hedge Top Lane
Northowram
Halifax
West Yorkshire
HX3 7ER

Kindest Regards

Steve Downing