Thursday 8 July 2010

News Update: Press Release

The 2010 Wildlife Festival is over, but there is still plenty to see and do on Arran. We have updated the website with a calendar of events. This year's festival was our biggest and best ever, and we are extremely grateful to all our funders, partners friends and participants without whom the festival would not have been such fun. Unfortunately looking to the future it seems unlikely that the festival can continue to exist in its current format. Below is press release from the Arran Wildlife Festival on this matter. Although the exact details of our plans for the future remain uncertain, please watch this space for future updates, news, photos and blogs about wildlife and the wildlife festival on Arran.

PRESS RELEASE: TIME TO TAKE STOCK
The Arran Wildlife Festival has reached the end of its current funding package. It is time to take stock and consider the best way forward.
Over the last five years, the Arran Wildlife Festival has successfully fostered a greater awareness, appreciation and understanding of the local wildlife through a focus on education and conservation by running events during a week in May that are informative, fun and appealing to visitors and residents.At the meeting of the organising committee on Friday 2 July, the coordinator’s encouraging report of the 2010 festival was considered. This report is available from on the wildlife festival website. View Report. There was then a wide ranging discussion on how best to build upon the achievements of the festival. Consideration was given as to how to support wildlife related activities throughout the year. There was acceptance that what can be done is dependent upon the availability of funds supported by the personal commitment of all those involved, and that the festival in its current form may well have run its course. Over the next few months the organising committee will try to determine what is both manageable and sustainable within available resources. The intention is to provide a coherent approach to raising awareness about wildlife on Arran and to increase appreciation of Arran’s natural heritage while promoting Arran as a responsible wildlife tourism destination.

Jim Cassels, chairperson of the organising committee, would be delighted to hear from any person or organisation who is prepared to give time, energy or funds to build on the legacy of the festival. Jim can be contacted at james.cassels@virgin.net

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