Carsington Water

Blog post: Would you like to join our team?

Holly B — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:40:00 GMT

The RSPB shop at Carsington Water is looking to expand our team of dedicated retail volunteers to give more support in the shop throughout the week.

You'll ensure that all visitors to the shop have a pleasurable and interesting time! We need you to approach customers and engage them in conversation, whether it's to offer them help or advice, or just to have a chat. You never know where a conversation may lead; you may end up selling a pair of binoculars or even signing up a new RSPB member!

Memberships are really important to the RSPB and we'd like you to help us to promote the work that we do, encourage membership, and help us to reach our membership targets. We also need help with maintaining the retail displays, operating the till and dealing with customer transactions and enquiries.

We'll give you all the training you need, and you will be a part of a friendly and knowledgable team. If you want to know more, please follow the link below, or copy and paste it into your web browser.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/volunteering/6649-monday-volunteer-retail-assistant

Help us to save nature in an enjoyable and rewarding way!

Blog post: Get my drift?

Holly B — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 09:26:00 GMT

Carsington Water is usually quite windy, as many of our regular visitors will know! When this is combined with snow, it makes huge drifts and that means it's another snow day for the RSPB staff and volunteers from the shop. The Severn Trent Rangers usually manage to battle the snow with tractors, gritters and sheer brute force, so it must be really bad up there today!

Blog post: Snow news

Holly B — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 14:09:00 GMT

The snow looks beautiful at Carsington Water, unfortunately the RSPB shop is closed because of it! We hope to open again tomorrow for our optics demo and children's quiz trail. It is very much dependent on the snow...

Forum post: Re: January Visit to RSPB Carsington Water

Holly B — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 13:57:00 GMT

Hi Kathy. Yes, Carsington is very good for winter birds as well as the residents! Check out the feeders around the site for willow tits, bullfinches and tree sparrows.

Blog post: Lovely new products in store now

Holly B — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 12:55:00 GMT

Spring has sprung! Well, it has in the RSPB shop. The new Spring range features new-style bird tables that are sturdy and attractive. There are also new nest box designs, with attractive leaf patterns on the front. Our Kitchen and Household ranges include beautiful tins, espresso sets, egg cups and large shopping bags, all with a cheerful birdy design on them. We also have some lovely aprons, mugs, oven gloves and tea towels, featuring blue butterflies, now in stock.

There are lots more exciting new products for you to discover, as well as our brilliant range of binoculars, telescopes, bird feeders and plenty of bird food!

We hope to see you soon.

Blog post: Summer sale-ing

Holly B — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 13:09:00 GMT

The Summer sale is well under way at the RSPB shop at Carsington Water. There are some great deals on gifts and things for the home, and some bird food bargains to be found too!

Get them before they sell out!

Holly

Blog post: Splish splash they're having a bath!

Holly B — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:49:00 GMT

Between 12 June and 26 June there will be 15% off bird baths at the RSPB shop at Carsington Water!

Make sure the birds in your garden can keep their feathers in tip top condition and find some water to drink with one of our lovely bird baths. Choose from the Echoes Ceramic bird bath, the multi-position bird bath and the terracotta hanging bird bath, or even the attractive resin bird bath with verdigris effect.

Whichever you choose, the birds will be as happy as can be. Don't forget that all the profits go to the RSPB as well - so you will be helping nature twice!

Forum post: Naturebites!

Kathy — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:46:00 GMT

Hi there. I write a diary about the wildlife I encounter in North Wales, but originally I'm from Derbyshire so write about here too. I visited Carsington last Tuesday so that features in my current write-up. If you want to have a gander look at http://naturebites.wordpress.com/ and click follow to hear what wonderful wildlife I am catching up with!

Kathy x

Blog post: Stamping out species decline - Puntastic!!

Tamzin Grayson — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:59:00 GMT

Ok, so I admit that when I started working at the RSPB shop at Carsington Water, I was a little baffled when visitors kept bringing me big bags of used stamps.

...turns out they were right on the ticket!

By giving us lot at the RSPB your stamps you raised over £15,000 for the Save the Albatross campaign last year. That's an amazing example of how everyone doing their bit contributes to make a huge difference to the bigger picture - something that inspires me every day in the shop with our volunteers and all you dedicated stamp collectors (of a different kind)

...got to go, getting emotional!!!

For more information on, save stamps and save the albatross visit

http://www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/albatross/howyoucanhelp/stamps.aspx

Blog post: Mega bird food bargain alert

Tamzin Grayson — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:53:00 GMT

Question - How many times a day do I hear this? "Feeding these birds costs me a fortune!"

Answer - Lots.

So, here at the RSPB shop at Carsington Water, we've come up with the solution.

20% off our 12.75kg sacks of bird bird.

Buying your seeds and nuts in bulk is cost effective to begin with because you get more food for your £s, you don't pay VAT and coming up to the RSPB shop saves you postage.

...And for a limited time only we're offering you 20% off your sunflower hearts, nyjer seed, feeder mix and much, much more.

Feeding garden birds is fun and rewarding and wherever you see our logo you can be confident that the product is safe and effective. So you needn't pay more on birdfood than you do on your own food, spread the cost with a big sack of yummy treat for hungry, house-hunting birds!

...offer ends on March 8th...but will be replaced the next day with an equally bargainous bargain on suet cakes!

We're open 7 days a week until 5pm, 6pm from April.

Blog post: Wow, yum and kerching!

Tamzin Grayson — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:22:00 GMT

If you've ever wondered why the ladies (and gents) in the RSPB shop at Carsington Water are so cheerful, it's because we sell RSPB chocolate and RSPB Love Nature Chocolate can please you in soooo many ways....

It does not contain palm oil

Palm oil is an edible plant oil derived from the fruits of the palm trees and can be found in many foods (often listed as vegetable oil) toiletries and now bio-fules. A growing demand for palm oil has resulted in the deforestation of ancient rain forests to provide more land to grow crops.

It does not contain soya

The farming of soya beans has also led to deforestation and loss of habitat. Instead of using soya lecithin as an emulsifier in our chocolate, we use more cocoa butter to bind the ingrediants together and make it even creamier!

All of the ingredients are organic

This means that the ingredients have been farmed in a way that promotes greater biodiversity.

Fairtrade

The cocoa used to make the chocolate comes from fairtrade co-ops in Paraguay and Africa

Profit

100% of the profit made from the sales of the chocolate goes back to help conservation.

What else...?

It is suitable for vegetarians, produced ina nut free factory and the wrappers are made from recyced paper....

WOW!

AND for a limited time only you can get 3 bars of RSPB Love Nature Chocolate for only £4.99 -

Wickedly tasty and ethically produced. Guilt free indulgence - Now that will please your Valentine in so many ways.

Photo: RSPB shop

Tamzin Grayson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:16:00 GMT

There's more to the RSPB shop than just bird food and binoculars, check out the lovely gifts

Photo: Kath Thorpe books and ceramics

Tamzin Grayson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:04:00 GMT

Hand made ceramics and a wide range of cut price books plus gifts and greetings cards

Photo: Clothing at Carsington

Tamzin Grayson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:57:00 GMT

Stocking Joules, Salt water and many other brands, clothing at Carsington have all your outdoor walking gear and accessories covered.

Photo: Marsden's Toy Shop

Tamzin Grayson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:52:00 GMT

Marsden's toyshop is full of gifts and toys for girls and boys

Photo: Gems of the world

Tamzin Grayson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:49:00 GMT

Gems of the world is a beautiful gift and jewellery shop on site, specialising in healing angles and native American jewellery.

Photo: Daisy and her 2010 ducklings

Tamzin Grayson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:34:00 GMT

Photo: Winster Morris Men

Tamzin Grayson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:29:00 GMT

All sorts of fun things go on in the Carsington courtyard as you can see!

Photo: Derbyshire day at Carsington Water

Tamzin Grayson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:09:00 GMT

Last September a huge event called Derbyshire day was held at Carsington Water, celebrating everything...you guess it....about Derbyshire! The RSPB team represented with their lovely green marquee!

Blog post: Carsington Water's Big garden bird watch.

Tamzin Grayson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:32:00 GMT

So, here's how it works. All you need is a pen/pencil, scrap of paper (or big garden birdwatch I.D form) and an hour, either on the 29th or 30th of this month to look out the window and count the birds in your garden, yard, local park or even out your office window.

Here at the RSPB shop at Carsington water we have everything you need to get prepared for the big weekend. Fill your feeders with RSPB approved, top quality bird food (that's not cheating) to attract the birds in the first place. It's best to start feeding them in advance so that they get used to where they can pick up a quick snack. We also have events coming up on site....

Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd January - We are holding one of our popular Optics Demonstration events, if you're thinking of treating yourself to a new pair of binoculars or telescope or want to take pictures of the birds in your garden with a digiscoping kit, I'm sure, with our great range and professional advice, we'll have just what you're looking for.

Sunday 23rd January - Big Garden Birdwatch family activity day. With activities and games aimed at testing your knowledge of garden birds, this day will make sure you are fully clued up to take part in the survey. Drop in any time between 10 am and 4pm.

No need to book for any events, just turn up! We look forward to seeing you and we have plenty of survey forms to give away!