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Wildlife Action Awards for Clubs and Groups
28 October 2008
Image: The RSPB
The flexibility of our award scheme has meant that Guide and Scout groups have been able to fit many of the tasks within their various badge activities.
Also, RSPB Wildlife Explorer Groups and Clubs have been able to weave the activities into their programmes, giving added value to their meetings.
Ellon Wildlife Explorers from Scotland received their Silver Wildlife Action Award in March 2007. Fiona Marshall, leader of the Ellon Group said, 'The award scheme is great for group programmes, and to motivate our members.
'We held an indoor meeting and asked members to say how they thought a particular form of energy production affected wildlife. This discussion was so successful that we pulled all the ideas together and wrote a letter to MPs asking them various questions related to global warming. We got lots of 'interesting' answers back - this was our first award activity.
'Since then we have included one or two award activities in each six-month programme and have now completed 12. There are a few activities that are difficult to do with a group - I have yet to persuade a parent to let us dig up their garden to make a pond. But I am working on it!
'When you complete six activities you are awarded a Bronze Award – each member who helped with the activities got a personalised certificate and some great stickers. The local paper printed our photograph – which always helps with recruitment and we also got a club certificate to use for publicity.
'Most of the activities are things groups do anyway so why not use them to get some recognition for the efforts of your members and leaders?'