BirdsEye

         Newsletter of the Medway RSPB Group

           Spring 2008

GROUP LEADERS NOTES                    

Welcome to the last newsletter before the Annual General Meeting and you will

find inside the notice for this meeting. I will be stepping down as Group Leader

with effect from 31 August 2008 and Marie Tilley has agreed to take over the role

on l September 2008. Warren Mann has agreed to fill Marie’s vacated position of

Treasurer from the AGM. These changes to the Committee have been sanctioned

by RSPB South East Regional Office, but will need to be endorsed at the Annual

General Meeting. The rest of the Committee, including myself, have agreed to

stand for re-election. Additional nominations for new Committee members and

any questions pertaining to the Annual General Meeting should be lodged with

the Medway Local Group secretary by 4 April 2008. 

I have enjoyed every minute of my ten years as Group Leader and am relieved

that the Group is as strong today as it was when I took over in l998! We are

attracting new members and the enthusiasm within the Group is palpable, so

thank you all for your support and long may it continue. I am sure you will all

join me in wishing both Marie and Warren every success in their new roles. 

Now I have a request for anyone from the Group who attended the funeral at

Medway Crematorium on 16 January of former member Dorothy Cordrey. Her

daughter Christine is anxious to get in touch with you, so if you were there

please let me know so that I can pass your details to her.

Medway Group has been involved in several events already this year helping to

promote the RSPB and taking part in surveys. Most of us counted “our” birds in

the Big Garden Birdwatch back in January and three of our members, Adrian

Olsen, Dave Perrin and Owen Sweeney, helped out with the National Beached

Birds Survey at the end of February. We also supplied many volunteers for the

Aren’t Birds Brilliant event at Riverside Country Park and new member, Guiseppe

Raffa, is to be congratulated for signing up a new national RSPB membership!

Finally, Committee member Pete Saville has given several talks to outside

organisations to raise the profile of both the RSPB and Medway Group. Well done

to each and everyone of you.

I am pleased to report that we have again secured a pitch for our sales stall at

Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre. The dates for this year are Monday IO to

Saturday 15 November. I expect that Des will soon start drawing up his roster!! 

Happy Volunteering and get out there and enjoy the birds too.

Sue Carter

EDITORS NOTES

Please let us have your articles ASAP or at the latest by 20 June 2008 for the spring

edition.

Editors: Des and Carol Felix