Merseyside Red Squirrel Champion Honoured in National Awards

The work of one of Merseyside’s hard working volunteers has been honoured by national conservation charity, the Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST).

Launched last year, the awards, which are supported by HRH The Prince of Wales, are designed to reward the vast army of volunteers working around the country to preserve our native red squirrels.

A member of Red Alert (now Red Squirrels Northern England) on Merseyside since its inception in 1993, Gillian Hill not only runs their trap loan scheme in and around Southport where she lives, but also works closely with householders in the area, especially at times of crisis such as during a recent squirrel pox outbreak. All this she does cheerfully, and with a smile, alongside running her own business and acting as a volunteer at the local fire station. In this year’s awards, she is named as one the red squirrel conservation movement’s Unsung Heroes.

“We are delighted to be able to recognise the hard work of our volunteers with these awards,” said Miles Barne, RSST Chairman. “There are an estimated 3,000 volunteers involved in red squirrel conservation throughout the UK, but the north of England is where the biggest battle is being fought. This work could not be achieved without the tireless work of our volunteers. Highlighting their contribution to red squirrel conservation is long overdue.”

The awards will be presented by His Grace the Duke of Northumberland at a special event to be held at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland on June 27th, 2012.

Contact details

Janet Wickens  

RSST                                                                     

4 East Bank House                                                          

Tide Mill Way                                    

 Woodbridge                                                                                                                                                   Suffolk  IP12 1BY

T: 07974 863633                                                                                                                                                     E:  Janet.wickens@rsst.org.uk                               

Prue Jackson

Public Relations       

T: 07968739117    

E: pruejackson@denwickwaterside.co.uk                                                                                                                                                           

Notes for Editors

About the Red Squirrel Survival Trust   

The Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST) is a UK charity established to ensure the conservation and protection of the red squirrel in the UK. Its Patron is HRH The Prince of Wales and its ambassadors are Alan Titchmarsh, Sir Chris Bonington and Eric Robson and Katie Hillier.

RSST works in partnership with dedicated and knowledgeable local groups around the country. It aims to protect red squirrels by keeping reds and greys apart, stabilising new and existing populations, funding research to secure the red squirrel’s long-term future and raising awareness of the plight of the red squirrel.

About red squirrels

Around 75% of the 120,000 red squirrels remaining in the UK are found in Scotland. In England, reds can still be found in Cumbria, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Merseyside and the Isle of Wight.

Reds died out many years ago from their former southern strongholds of Thetford Forest in Norfolk and Cannock Chase in Staffordshire. However, a project aiming to reintroduce the species to Cornwall is underway which hopes to bring red squirrels back to southern England in the next five years.

For more information about RSST, visit www.rsst.org.uk.

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