Season’s greetings to all our members! The BCT has sent a Xmas card to all our members, please click here to view it.
The bat group turned 40 this year, and to celebrate one of longest standing members, and former chair, Edward Wells talks about the history of the bat group on BCT’s podcast BatChat. Well worth a listen while peeling the sprouts!
In this newsletter we have:
- The history of the Somerset Bat Group
- An urgent call to action from the CEO of BCT regarding changes proposed to the Natural England Bat Advice Service
- Building Bat Group Connections with Places of Worship
- The latest BCT update on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill
- Find out about the Somerset Wildlife Trusts new Research Prospectus
- We are still looking for a new Secretary
- Can you help with??? Requests to the bat group.
- Our next Bat Group events
History of the Somerset Bat Group
Listen to Edward our Vice Chair talk about 40 years of the Somerset bat Group on the BCT Podcast BatChat. Hot off the press, just published on 17th December, great job Ed!
If you haven’t listened already BatChat is great. The series 7 opener with Chris Packham is really inspiring.
Changes proposed to the Natural England Bat Advice Service
We received this urgent call to action from the CEO of BCT regarding changes proposed to the Natural England Bat Advice Service on 19th Dec.
The Bat Group would strongly encourage ALL members to write to Natural England to urge the retention of the vital telephone national bat advice service, and investment in the Volunteer Bat Roost Visitor (VBRV) scheme.
We are writing to let you know that Natural England is reviewing the way the Bat Advice Service runs, with a view to changing how advice to householders and places of worship is delivered. Service users will initially be directed to an online decision tree rather than to a telephone helpline service. More than that we cannot tell you at this stage as Natural England is still developing its plans.
Concerns
This proposed change came as a shock to us. Natural England has told BCT this review is not a reflection on the service that the Helpline team provides, rather that it is for financial and operational reasons. We are all incredibly concerned about what this will mean for bat conservation. The Bat Advice Service is a crucial part of conservation in England. We believe it underpins significant bat conservation work in this country and we are making the strongest case possible for this vital support to the public to continue in a way that is fit for purpose.
We have written to the CEO of Natural England to express our concerns and urge them to fully consider the impact of any proposed changes on bat conservation. We have been involved in initial meetings with the Natural England team responsible for redesigning the service, to share our concerns and emphasise that the needs of bat conservation, service users and Natural England’s volunteers should be central in consideration of service changes.
Communications
We have held off with our own communications as we wanted Natural England’s Volunteer Bat Roost Visitors (VBRVs) to be informed first. We have requested that Natural England not only inform but also consult with their VBRVs about the changes being proposed as soon as possible and ensure that there are clear transition plans in place. As a result, Natural England has emailed all their VBRVs today. We have assurances from Natural England that they will share more details about timescales and will be consulting with VBRVs in the New Year. However, if you have comments in the meantime, please direct these to Natural England via the email address: BatAdviceService.Feedback@naturalengland.org.uk as whilst they will not be responding to individual emails, Natural England has stated they will consider all feedback as part of the review.
It would be helpful for us if you could copy us in (please use the email address CEO@bats.org.uk). We are very thankful for all of the work that VBRVs carry out to deliver the Bat Advice Service and to support the work of the Helpline team and want to make sure we understand your views. We may not be able to reply individually to your comments, but it is very valuable to hear your thoughts and we will take these into account in further discussions with Natural England.
The National Bat Helpline
The Bat Advice Service contract is a significant part of the National Bat Helpline, but it is far from the entirety of the work the Helpline team undertakes. BCT remains committed to providing our wider helpline services including the Volunteer Bat Care Helpline and the UK Bat Care Network. We are grateful to the support of all of our VBCH volunteers and all those who register with us as bat carers to take calls from members of the public who have found grounded and injured bats. This work will continue regardless of what happens with the BAS.
We will be working with Natural England over the coming months as they develop their plans, doing what we can to ensure the best outcomes for bat conservation. We will update you as more becomes known about the review process and the future of the Bat Advice Service. However, for now the Service (and wider work of the Helpline) continues business as usual.
Please be mindful that the Helpline team are responding to a lot of enquiries, writing letters and carrying out project work. Please direct your thoughts about the changes to the Natural England email address provided above rather than to the Helpline team.
Best wishes
Kit,
Kit Stoner (she/her), Chief Executive, Bat Conservation Trust
Building Bat Group Connections with Places of Worship
Dan Bryant, the BCT Bat Groups Officer sent us the following:
Following the ongoing success of the Living Alongside Bats in Churches Grant, the Bats in Churches Advisor would like to extend sincere thanks to the bat groups who have taken part in church-led community events as part of their grant requirements. Your engagement with local churches has played a valuable role in strengthening relationships between congregations and their resident bats.
As you may know, many places of worship have hosted Bat Evidence Surveys over the past two summers. Several have expressed their gratitude for this work and shown interest in further monitoring or future bat-focused events. This demonstrates just how many places of worship are willing to engage positively with their bats when given the right support.
To help even more churches connect with and understand their bat populations, we hope to be more proactive in linking bat groups with their local places of worship. If your group would like to get involved in building those stronger connections through BCT and the Bats in Churches Advisor, please contact Hazel on churches@bats.org.uk. Thank you.
Latest from BCT on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Thank you and Somerset Bat Group for supporting the Planning & Infrastructure Bill campaign. You can read the latest updates here.
We know that with more than 3,200 supporters like you contacting their MP, over 90% of them received at least one email from a constituent asking for an evidence-based approach to planning reform. We are very disappointed that the government has rejected science-based policy in favour of unfounded rhetoric. The Bill will return to the House of Commons next week and is expected to become law, but our campaigning will continue.
While the government pushed to prevent amendments to the Bill that would have addressed the concerns raised, ministers have responded by making several important commitments. These include a statement to say that new powers within the Bill will not be applied to vulnerable species or habitats until there is evidence to support this approach. We would have preferred the certainty of an amendment to the Bill but be assured, we will continue to hold the government to account to make sure it does not undermine the conservation of bats and other wildlife. We will monitor how Environmental Delivery Plans, one of the central mechanisms in the Bill, are rolled out.
Sir David Attenborough has said: “We need to work with nature, not against it.” With your help we will continue to help more of our politicians understand and apply this principle.
Thanks once again for caring and speaking up for bats.
Yours sincerely,
BCT policy and advocacy team
Launch of SWT’s Research Prospectus
The Somerset Wildlife Trust sent the following to the group:
We’re delighted to share the launch of the Somerset Wildlife Trust Research Prospectus – our invitation to researchers, practitioners, and partners to collaborate on building the evidence that drives nature’s recovery across Somerset.
The prospectus outlines our research ambitions, case studies, and five key themes: biodiversity monitoring, habitat mapping, data science and technology, nature-based solutions, and people and policy.
The prospectus highlights opportunities to work with us to help answer some of Somerset’s most pressing environmental questions and turn research into real-world impact.
Visit our website to view the online portal and to express interest in current project ideas and/ or submit your own idea, or click to download the full prospectus.
The innovative online portal proposes opportunities for you as researchers to engage with, to develop the evidence and data needed to drive effective conservation action. The projects listed are open to researchers at all stages – from undergraduate students to senior academics – as well as practitioners and commercial organisations working across a range of disciplines and sectors, including conservation, social sciences, humanities and heritage.
By combining knowledge, creativity, and local insight, we can build the evidence base needed to restore nature and strengthen climate resilience across Somerset. Please share the prospectus with colleagues, students, and networks who may be interested in partnering with us. We look forward to collaborating with you.
If you would like a hard copy of the prospectus, please email us at research@somersetwildlife.org
We are still looking for a new Secretary
Great news, we hopefully have found a new Treasurer to take over at April’s AGM!
However we are still looking for someone for the role of Secretary.
You can find out all about this important role here. This is your chance to help your group.
If you think you could help, please do email us – somersetbatgroup@gmail.com
CAN YOU HELP WITH …?
The bat group receives far more requests for help than the committee can do. Hence please get in touch if you think you could help out with recent request:
- The Exmoor Society is running a Big Nature Day, on Sunday 31st May 2026, and they have asked if the bat group would like to have a stand.
The next Bat group Events
Come along and get involved! The next events coming up are:
- Jan’26 – National Bat Monitoring Hibernation counts.
- 28Feb’26 – Bat Detector Workshop, Chiselborough
- Spring 2026 – Bat Detector Workshops x4
- 18April26 – Bat Group Annual meeting, Othery
Details of how to get involved for all events are on the website: https://somersetbat.group/events/
Bat Group Bulletin
Decembers BCT Bat Group Bulletin has not been published yet. When it does it will appear on our website here.
Back copies of all past Bat Group Bulletins are on the link below: