In this message we have news of:
- A delay to the updated guidance to bat groups
- A reminder that NE licensed bat workers need to return their annual report soon.
- Vacancies on the BCT Board of Trustees
- An update below on 2021 membership renewals.
- The latest BCT Bat group Bulletin, which includes details of the annual NBMP report
Updated guidance to bat groups
In our last news, we were hopeful that this updated guidance would be out by now, enabling us to start planning activities for 2021. However in this months BCT Bat group Bulletin it says:
We haven’t yet been able to circulate the Special Edition Bat Group Bulletin on COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 and bat activities and that will now be sent out next month. The IUCN Bat Steering Group is still in the process of updating guidance for both bat rehabilitation and bat fieldwork.
Jam tomorrow (hopefully!)
Time to report action taken under a bat survey or research licence
Cath suggested we send out “a reminder that any bat license reports for survey and VBRV license need to be filled in and returned by 30th June. NE changed the date last year and, like the dormouse license, may not send an email reminder”
- Survey or research – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bats-report-action-taken-under-a-bat-survey-or-research-licence
- VBRV – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bats-report-action-taken-under-a-volunteer-bat-roost-visitor-licence
Vacancies on the BCT Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees are looking to fill four vacancies that are becoming available later this year.
The advert currently on the BCT website advertising for these vacancies is the process for the Board itself to nominate one or more Trustees: https://www.bats.org.uk/the-trust/jobs-careers/trustee.
BCT would like to take this opportunity to remind you that potential Trustees may also be nominated by Partner Bat Groups or by two members of the BCT membership.
BCT Bat group Bulletin
Click here to view the latest BCT Bat group Bulletin includes details of the annual NBMP report
Membership for 2021
In our previous virtual email AGM in April 2020, due to the pandemic, we decided to waive membership fees for existing members in 2020, and extend all memberships.
At this years AGM, as we again have limits on what we can do this year, we have again decided to waive membership subs for past members. However as we changed our GDPR statement in early 2020, we do need all members to agree to this, and the easiest way for you to do this is to renew your membership, and update your details if required.
It is perhaps easiest to explain this by year:
46 members who last paid membership subs in 2019 …
Please complete the renewal form by 30th June 2021. If you do not complete the renewal by 30/6/21, we will not have your consent to our GDPR statement and hence we will have to remove your email address from our mailing lists at this time.
45 members who last paid membership subs in 2020 …
Please complete the renewal form as soon as you can to update your details. As you have already agreed to our current GDPR statement, we will keep you on our email lists until our next AGM in April 2022.
61 members who last paid subs in 2021 or recently renewed your membership …
Thank you! You are a current member, and there is no need to do anything. Your membership will expire at the 2022 AGM on 30th April 2022.
If you are not sure when you last paid …
All current members should have had an email explaining what to do. So if not, just email us and we can sort it out: somersetbatgroup@gmail.com
If you are new and would like to become a member …
You are very welcome! Full details of how to join are here: https://somersetbat.group/join/