Quiz nights, four-day hikes and river cruises – over the past year, RSPB local groups have found some inventive ways to fundraise, with groups across the UK raising over £150,000 towards projects to save nature. Interested to know more about what our local groups do and how you can get involved?
An RSPB local group is a voice for nature within a local community. Each group strives to raise awareness and funds for nature at a grassroot level – and with around 130 groups across the UK, their collective efforts are making a big difference.
The groups are a perfect opportunity to connect with people in your area who have a common interest in nature and fundraising, all while giving back.
“For me, local groups are about fun and friendship; a sense of community with likeminded people, enjoying and learning about nature, a sense of achievement in helping people and inspiring people to do more for nature,” says Helen Ensor, RSPB Sheffield Local Group Leader (volunteer for 22 years).
Watch this inspiring video about the RSPB Worcester and Malvern Local Group in action, including one of their projects to install Swift boxes and Swift bricks on local homes:
"We are so much bigger as a group than our individual parts. I would recommend anybody to get involved in their local RSPB group," Nick Skilbeck, Leader RSPB Worcester and Malvern Local Group.
The first RSPB members’ group was established in 1969 in Epping Forest (now Central London Local Group). While expanding in size and in range of locations, the groups have also found plenty of different ways to fundraise.
In the past year alone, local groups in England raised £150,000 through a whole host of different activities. The groups were given a list of conservation projects from around the country which they could choose to donate funds to.
The RSPB Woodbridge Local Group ran a quiz night in their community centre, raising £1,400 for conservation. Quizzers were treated to eight rounds of questions (not all bird related!) and the drinks menu even featured a Yellowhammer cocktail.
Meanwhile, RSPB North East Hants raised money by hosting a photography and art exhibition, where members of the community could submit their own works to receive prizes.
In 2022, one local group member, Jordan Pargeter raised £1,800 for the RSPB Worcester and Malvern Local Group by hiking a four-day trail across the Andean Mountains to Machu Picchu.
Guided walks and events have also been a key form of fundraising for our groups. Many groups have a jam-packed events programme, offering walks and talks on wildlife to the community. Some groups have even gone to the effort of organising boat cruises to help people to get close-up views of seabirds, seals and wading birds. For example, RSPB South Lincolnshire Local Group raises between £2,000 and £3,000 per year on cruises into the Wash, and in 2023, RSPB Liverpool Local Group welcomed 250 visitors on to a Mersey Ferry for a Birdwatching and Wildlife Cruise.
The money raised has been donated to projects across the RSPB in England to areas where it can deliver the most to help wildlife and to improve people’s access to nature. Some of the featured projects include:
It's not just local groups in England who have been raising money to save nature! In total, our groups across the four countries have donated £204,104.
Several local groups around the UK were successful in their bid for funding from the Save Our Wild Isles Community Fund. RSPB Antrim Local Group raised an astonishing £3,500 to help their local Swifts.
Want to learn more about the Save Our Wild Isles Community Fund? You can find out which local communities making moves for nature were successful in their funding bids here.
Anyone! If you care about nature, then you’re welcome to join. You don’t have to be an expert birdwatcher to be a part of it – in fact, joining your local group is an opportunity to learn more.
Many groups offer opportunities to visit RSPB reserves, some even operating a ‘Birding Buddy’ scheme to partner seasoned birders with nature newbies to help share knowledge. If you’re looking to get to grips with local wildlife on your patch, then check out your group’s events programme and see if you can find one of our regular ‘Birdwatching for Beginners’ guided walks.
Local groups are about championing nature in your community, and many of them have found inventive ways to do so. If you have a skillset that you’d like to share to help save nature, then make sure to shout about it! Maybe you’re a dab hand at DIY and could help build nest boxes for the community? Perhaps you’re a social media whizz who could help to publicise a fundraising appeal? Your local group would love to have you!
Find your local group now: Find a local group near you (rspb.org.uk)
