Help Required

Saturday 12th September

Wirral Earth Fest, West Kirby

Wirral Wildlife runs a stall at this event with children’s craft activities, plant and pocket money toy sales. We also distribute information on gardening for wildlife and about Cheshire Wildlife Trust and its reserves. This needs several people to transport, set up, staff and take down. Hilary Ash has co-ordinated it for the last two years, but would dearly like some help. Members in West Kirby and Hoylake - please offer to help! Phone Hilary on 0151 327 5923 or email.

New Ferry Butterfly Park

The Park continues to be very busy, and we could do with a few more voluntary wardens on Sunday afternoons, either 12 - 2 p.m. or 2 - 4 p.m. No particular knowledge needed - just a willingness to oversee pond dipping and learn how to open or close the park. Offers to Linda please - telephone 0151 342 1395 or email.

Butterfly Park Inspired Artwork

When you next come to visit New Ferry Butterfly Park, don’t forget to have a look at the new artwork decorating the subway at Bebington station.

The Park is open every Sunday afternoon from 12 until 4 p.m. from now until September 13th.

River Park Task Day - 13 June

If you would like to help out at the River Park, come along on Saturday 13th June where volunteers will be cutting back the vegetation by the paths.

Places must be booked in advance.

Please call 07587550060 or email Anne Litherland to book your place.

You can come from 10 a.m. - 12 noon or 1 - 3 p.m. or bring lunch and stay for both sessions.

John's Wirral Coastal Walk Fundraiser

John Gill, our treasurer, is once again taking part in the Wirral Coastal Walk to raise money for Wirral Wildlife (the Wirral Group of Cheshire Wildlife Trust). He has taken part so many times now that he is starting to lose count but we think he has completed at least twelve.

The walk takes place on Sunday 28 June 2015.  It is a total of 15 miles starting at Seacombe Ferry and finishing at Thurstaston Country Park Visitor Centre.

If you would be willing to sponsor John’s walk please send him an email stating your name, first line of your address, postcode, the amount of money you pledge to give, and (if you are a UK taxpayer) whether you are willing to Gift Aid* your donation.

* If you ask for the money to be Gift Aided this means that you want the charity (Cheshire Wildlife Trust) to reclaim tax on the donation. You must have paid, or will pay, an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the Charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs that you donate to will reclaim on your gifts for that tax year. Cheshire Wildlife Trust will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that you give.

Butterfly Park Volunteers Needed

New Ferry Butterfly Park continues to be very busy, and we could do with a few more voluntary wardens on Sunday afternoons, either 12 - 2 p.m. or 2 - 4 p.m.

No particular knowledge is needed - just a willingness to oversee pond dipping and learn how to open or close the park.

Offers to Linda please on 0151 342 1395 or by email.

View Three Queens from the River Park

Monday 25th May

As the Three Queens cruise liners sail along the Mersey on bank holiday Monday, spectators can watch from a distance amongst celebrations at Port Sunlight River Park.

As part of Cunard’s 175th anniversary, the park is inviting people to view the special event from a natural viewing platform that’s even higher than the tower of Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral.

The Friends of Port Sunlight River Park will be hosting a Viewing Day from 10am to 3pm, offering visitors an opportunity to find out more about the River Park, which is a wildlife haven enjoyed by the local community as well as a number of walking, running, dog walking and wildlife groups.

The Bebington Sea Cadets have kindly volunteered their services for the event and will be controlling and marshalling the park gates on the special day.

Spaces are limited for drivers and blue badge holders can access the Mersey View River Park Car Park located on the dockside of the Mersey Estuary, but must book in advance. Contact 07587550060 or email Anne Litherland to book.

United Utilities has granted special access to their access road leading to the car park, which is adjacent to the public toilets and can be accessed via the main Dock Road North entrance.

Mayor in a Spin

Nearly 600 hundred guests enjoyed the Open Day at New Ferry Butterfly Park which marked the opening of the season to the public. The event was presided over by the Mayor of Wirral Councillor Steve Foulkes. He unveiled a new feature at the park, an “eco loo”, and took it in good spirit with lots of good old jokes, which lifted the crowd and drew out many a laugh, setting a fun tone to the start of the day.

The eco loo was sponsored by a grant from the South Wirral constituency Your Wirral Fund from Wirral Council. This will be a big boost to volunteers, park warden and guests at the park and the liquid gold collected will come in useful as a compost activator for the cut vegetation gathered when scything the meadows here. The finished compost is given away to local allotment societies.

592 visitors is the highest turnout of guests so far for an Open Day and eight species of butterflies were on the wing, another record for an Open Day. Our newest resident species the brimstone butterflies stealing the show, with the bright yellow males darting up and down the hedgerows and some of the paler females spotted laying eggs.

The Mayor went to every stall there except the spider stall! He got into a spin making a healthy fruit smoothie with a pedal powered blender brought by Sustrans.

The Park is open every Sunday from 12 - 4 p.m. until 13th September. There are trails to follow and environmental games to play. So, if you want explore wildlife on your doorstep, do come along. There are knowledgeable volunteer wardens to guide you and what is more it is free.

Paul Loughnane, Honorary Reserve Manager