A major fundraising campaign has been launched to help conserve the red squirrel population in Cumbria.
The Caldew Squirrel Initiative was set up in March last year to support red squirrel conservation efforts across an area of roughly 40 square miles surrounding the River Caldew and the villages of Hesket Newmarket, Caldbeck, Sebergham, Welton and Dalston.
It wants to raise £2,500 for a thermal imaging camera to help field volunteers identify squirrel activity in the woodland canopy.
To kickstart the campaign the group has formed a partnership with local wildlife artist and illustrator Ayeisha Muir.
Ayeisha is a passionate supporter of red squirrels and has produced illustrated poster designs and artwork for the group’s fundraising campaign material.
The charity is a collaboration between local volunteers, landowners and conservationists that aims to preserve the native red squirrel population and their natural habitat via an all year round conservation programme of camera monitoring, supplementary feeding, recorded sightings and grey squirrel control.
Grey squirrels are a constant threat to our local red squirrels and early intervention is key to helping maintain the progress made so far. The non-native greys out compete the reds and also carry a virus which is lethal to reds if they come into contact with each other. Greys are also responsible for extensive forestry damage
Steve Kirk, the group’s chairman, said: “We are thrilled and delighted to have such a talented artist give her support to our cause. Ayeisha’s detailed designs and beautifully crafted artwork have given our campaign a wonderful start.”
The first organised fundraising event is a plant sale and cream tea at Sebergham Village Hall on Sunday May 14 at 2pm.
To donate, visit https://justgiving.com/campaign/caldewsquirrels
