Birmingham Wildlife Festival 2016

Birmingham Wildlife Festival will return for the second year to act as a platform for campaigning groups from around the UK and beyond to stand up for the wildlife they are so passionate about.

We began initially as Birmingham Against the Badger Cull, March and Rally in 2014, spurred on by the onset of the Badger Culls in Gloucester and Somerset. Our aim this year, is to continue to develop a sense of unity in the campaign to help our threatened wildlife. So whether you are part of a group trying to protect otters, raptors, badgers, foxes, bats or dolphins for instance, the festival will have space for you to participate. We aim to give a voice to the voiceless and will not stand by while animals are endlessly persecuted, hunted, tortured and driven to the point of extinction for greed, political short sightedness and sheer cruelty. We will not stand by while senseless culling threatens our much maligned badgers or while foxes are hunted illegally and accused of being pests but are instead bred by hunts to continue this lie. Foxes, Badgers and all the other wildlife need protection. Birmingham Wildlife Festival exists to do that and to recruit volunteers to help fight these injustices.

In February 2015 we attracted around 3,000 people and in June this year, with its warmer balmy weather, we anticipate between 5,000 - 10,000 people may attend during the day

To facilitate this growth, we want to be more attractive to families, as well as seasoned campaigners/protestors and will have a childrens art tent to create all things wildlife. We are also in the process of setting up a website, to give more information about the event and its purpose and we have a bigger solar powered stage too for the speakers and bands to perform on.

The event is organised by volunteers and takes considerable planning. We need a minimum of £500 due to the shortfall in sponsorship money and the money we can raise on the day from our caterers and hire of stalls etc. This money is critical in helping us to ensure the event is a success. Amongst the many things it will help to pay for are banners, hire of the square from Birmingham City Council, for tables for the art tent and to print leaflets for distribution around the UK. If we raise more than we need, we always give the extra money to wildlife groups at the end of the festival.

You can donate from as little as £1.00 by making payment via paypal to:

[email protected].

It all makes a difference. This year we already have committments to speak from Kerry McCarthy (shadow Environment Minister), Dominic Dyer (Badger Trust) Will Travers (Born Free) for instance plus bands such as Tensheds, The Dirty Old Folkers, Bloco Louco, Tanglemist, 10' O Clock Horses and more. It promises to be a great day of entertainment and campaigning. Please tweet share and donate to the fund.

More info:https://www.facebook.com/events/204043923313483/

Many thanks

Julie Buxton