Gravesend group at the local regatta

Gravesend RSPB crew at our stall at the Gravesend Regatta July 2015

On Saturday the Gravesend Local group ran a stall at the 169th annual Gravesend regatta, which is held along Gordons Promenade. The weather was sunny throughout the day and there was a lot going on with a variety of community stalls, the FusionFestival stage, fun fair, food zone, the Northfleet Carnival and of course the boat races themselves.

Our main attraction this year was wildlife masks which children could colour in and wear. We found ourselves busy from about 11am to 5:30pm with some wonderfully creative masks produced. There was a ‘Who’s who’ picture quiz where people tried to name 10 of our most commonly seen garden birds. There were also cakes and sunflowers available, free information leaflets and some pocket money gifts. Through the day we spoke to a wide variety of people: my own favourite point was a lovely couple who answered the quiz, while their children were busy colouring in, by writing down all the bird’s names in Polish – fantastic to share the same wildlife across languages.

Colouring in wildlife masks at the Gravesend RSPB stall at the regatta

The day was a success because of the time and effort put in by the Gravesend RSPB crew, not only on the day but also in the run up preparing and organising for it. So my thanks go to Sue and Cliff Provins and Irene and Terry Robson who, as well as manning the stall all day, helped with baking cakes, cutting out masks, growing plants, etc etc as well as the logistics for getting it all there and back.  Also to Sally Jennings (helping on the day), to Maria and Emily (more cutting out!), Samuel (emergency elastic supplies!!), Josie Brown (sales orders) and Peeny Leeves (table loan).

I would very much like the group to do more events of this type however this is dependent on getting more volunteers to help run them. So if you would like to help run a similar event in the future, perhaps at a local fete, please get in touch with me.

Paul “somewhat hoarse” Yetman