A POEM THAT IS ABOUT GAMEBIRD INDUSTRIAL FACTORY FARMING

Written in response to Protect The Wild post on game bird factory farming linear concept solar farm panels fit the norm conform to a notion of order row upon row headstones line up conform in deathly order row upon row row upon row small cages elevated hope and excrement to fall there have been camps that proximated death this one is no exception industrial bred cage birds to be allowed out as a supposed wild thing to fly to be peppered by leadshot or to escape into their unworldy wild it’s all for fun as an elite blast poison into the skies John Edwards (C) 18th May, 2026

FROM BUGLIFE - THE LATEST NEWS

Buglife Logo saving the small things that run the planet View this email in your browser Dear John Welcome to the May edition of Buglife's e-newsletter, BugBytes! This month we have seen thunderstorms and heatwaves, new projects getting underway, Bugs Matter making a splash in France, consultations and of course Solitary Bee Week. So, let’s buzz on over and take a look! The Summer Edition of The Buzz is almost here! This summer issue of our magazine for Community Members is buzzing with bees and wasps! Jam-packed (or should that be ham-packed - it’ll make sense when you receive it!) with: 🐝 articles showcasing various Buglife projects with a focus on their wasp and bee heroes; 🎉 some great Silver Jubilee celebration supporter incentives; 💤 Bug Buzz Buddies; ➡️ and so much more! Want to know more and receive a copy through your letter box during the second week of June? Join the Buglife Community today and you’ll get The Buzz too! Join the Buglife Community Solitary Bee Week 2026 Solitary Bee Week 2026 Wednesday 20 May to Wednesday 27 May saw us celebrating Solitary Bee Week once again, with lots of great information and amazing photography shared across our socials. We explored the intricate lives of solitary bees, sharing their stories, fascinating facts, and actionable steps we can all take to protect these vital invertebrates from environmental challenges. Solitary Bee Week may be over for another year, but it’s still a great time to celebrate these pollinator heroes, and do our bit to encourage them into our green and brown spaces. Green-eyed Flower Bee (Anthophora bimaculata) © Buglife 'Shutterbug' Radoslav Valkov Let’s take another look at some of the distinctive (and often rare) solitary bees you may see over the next few weeks. Longhorn Bee (Eucera longicornis) The males have huge antennae. They love soft clay cliffs but have suffered much decline so this is a species Buglife is helping to protect through projects such as Life on the Edge and Kernow Wyls. Green-eyed Flower Bee (Anthophora bimaculata) These bees have beautiful bright green eyes. They live only in the south of Britain and are uncommon. Green Furrow Bee (Lasioglossum morio) At just 5 to 6mm in size these are one of our tiniest bees. They have a bright metallic bronzy green shimmer. Box-headed Blood Bee (Sphecodes monilicornis) This is a distinctive bee with a bright red abdomen. It’s a nest parasite of mining bees and is common in East and South of the UK. Hairy-footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes) The males of this bumblebee-sized bee have a “yellow moustache” and “hairy feet”. His feet are used in an unusual mating dance where the male mounts the female and waves his front legs in the air, fanning her with his hairy feet. Common in southern and central England and Wales. Pantaloon Bee (Dasypoda hirtipes) Females sport large yellow "pantaloons" on their legs to dig burrows and carry pollen. Female Pantaloon Bees build individual nests in sandy soil, often near other bees of the same species. Rare and found in the South. The Six-banded Nomad Bee (Nomada sexfasciata): A "cuckoo" bee that lays eggs in solitary bees' nests. The Six-banded nomad bee’s choice host is the Longhorned Bee (Eucera longicornis). Extremely rare and limited to Southern England. How to be the best bee hotel manager Where do solitary bees nest? And how can we be the best 'bee landlords' for them? Well, having a variety of nest sites will help, since many native UK bees are ground-nesters, while others choose bricks, wood, plant stems, and even snug little cavities like empty snail shells! While bee hotels are a popular choice for gardeners, only mostly mason and leafcutter bees will use them successfully – if managed correctly. Sadly, shop-bought bee hotels are often poorly designed, and can even cause more harm than good due to dampness, mould and splinters. Fortunately, there are simple, inexpensive ways to create the ideal spaces to support many nesting bee species: 🪵 Drill holes into untreated wood blocks or use clean bamboo canes that are protected from the rain, and smooth off splinters to make your own DIY bee hotel; ☀️ Pick a sunny south or southeast location which helps to keep the nesting bees warm; 🌱 Leave a patch of vegetation-free soil as mining bees will use it to burrow, and mason bees use the mud to create sealed doors over their nest holes; 🔨 Maintain in early spring, replacing old or broken sections after the wetter weather has passed. Want to know more? Take a look at our blog originally written by Andrew William Kirkland in July 2020, reviewed by Buglife for Solitary Bee Week 2026, “How to be the best bee hotel manager”. Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis) © Steven Falk Discover how to be a buzz-y landlord Exciting opportunities for the Buglife Community! The Biological Recording Company are offering our buzz-y supporters an incredible 50% discount on their entoLEARN online self-study courses. These pre-recorded webinars and associated content cover a wide range of invertebrate topics, including: Bumblebees of the UK Social Wasps of the UK Damselflies of the UK Dragonflies of the UK Earthworms of the UK & Ireland Freshwater Leeches of the UK Longhorn Beetles of the UK Discover entoLEARN ℹ️ To claim your discount, simply add buglife50 into the coupon box during checkout (you may need to click on 'Have a coupon?' for this box to appear). The coupon is not limited to a single use, so you can use it to get the 50% discount on multiple courses! Browse our Bug Directory Did you know that we have almost 200 invertebrate species profiles on our website, and counting? Let’s meet one of the species that you’ll likely be seeing a lot of at the moment! Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) © Zoe Foster This month we’re meeting the aptly named May Bug. The Common Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) often referred to as the May Bug, but you may also know them as the Spang Beetle, Dumbledory or the Billy Witch, amongst many other names. These beetles are loud and clumsy and can frequently be seen and heard flying into lit windows, lamps or even you! ℹ️ Did you know: They've had a troubled past. During 1320 cockchafers (as a species) were taken to court in Avignon, France, where they were ordered to leave town and relocate to a specially designated area, or be outlawed. All cockchafers who failed to comply were collected and killed! For more information about this clumsy character and its unique flying (or should that be crashing!) style, visit our Bug Directory. Take me to the Bug Directory! Which bug would you like to see added to the directory next, there's plenty to choose from! ICYMI ~ Spring is sprung? Did you catch the first in a series of blogs being written by Buglife Development Officer, Beth, celebrating the seasonality of our gardens? Just in case you did we’re sharing it again, whilst spring is still with us - just! Celebrating the arrival of spring Beth penned “Spring is sprung” looking at what may be happening in your garden at this time of year and what jobs you can do to welcome insects and other wildlife into your green spaces. So, lets join Beth, as she shares lots of great tips and ideas in our recent blog "Spring is sprung”. Read the blog… Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) on Nepeta (Cat Mint) © Claire Pumfrey Upcoming events a person holding up a cell phone displaying the words Bugs Matter Tuesday 2 June ~ Friend, Foe, or Freeloader? The Flower Crab Spider with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 3 June ~ Introduction to Botany with Kernow Wyls (Par, Cornwall) Thursday 4 June ~ Small Blue Butterfly & Bordered Brown Lacewing talk with Species on the Edge (Montrose, Scotland) Friday 5 June ~ Small Blue Butterfly Survey Day with Species on the Edge (Angus, Scotland) Sunday 7 June ~ Bug Hunt at St Andrew’s Nature Reserve with Kernow Wyls (Par, Cornwall) Tuesday 9 June ~ Bookworms! preschool story time at Canvey Island Library (Canvey, Essex) Wednesday 10 June ~ Discover the Bordered Brown Lacewing and Northern Brown Argus with Species on the Edge (St Cyrus, Scotland) Wednesday 17 June ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) Saturday 20 June ~ Discover the Bordered Brown Lacewing and Northern Brown Argus with Species on the Edge (St Cyrus, Scotland) Tuesday 23 June ~ Bordered Brown Lacewing ID and survey taster with Species on the Edge (Aberdeen, Scotland) Saturday 27 June ~ M.G. Leonard Author Talk & Book Signing as part of Canvey Festival of Insects (Basildon, Essex) Saturday 27 June ~ Canvey Festival of Insects (Canvey Island, Essex) Saturday 27 June ~ Moor Invertebrates Bug Hunt (Bovey Tracey, Devon) Wednesday 1 July ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) a flyer for the Canvey Wick Festival of Insects Please do remember that our website Events Page is being updated all the time so, to keep up to date with both current and future Buglife events, as well as events from partners and supporters, be sure to visit regularly. What’s the buzz? Buglife backed by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to give a brighter future for Dartmoor’s threatened invertebrates Moor Invertebrates is an exciting new Buglife project on Dartmoor, made possible thanks to initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery Players, Moor Invertebrates will help to give a brighter future to eight threatened invertebrate species found across Dartmoor National Park. Moor Invertebrates will engage local communities and visitors, inspiring a love of Dartmoor’s special bugs and helping to connect people with the wonderful invertebrates living right on their doorsteps. a close up of a hoverfly on a plant Female Bog Hoverfly (Eristalis cryptarum) © Steven Falk Read the story… For all our latest news please visit our website News Pages. Buglife shop The Buglife Shop is open for all your invertebrate needs, offering more ethical options and ways for you to support bugs. Whether you’re looking for clothing, insurance, home accessories or gifts for a loved one; there’s something for everyone! a packet of native wildflower seeds Nurture the Night Shift Jute Bag Visit Buglife’s shop Adopt a Bug Exciting shop news! In addition to our usual offerings our Spring/Summer Brochure, brought to you in partnership with Red Robin, is here! From stationary to home furnishings, bee hotels to clothing - bring a little cheer to your home and support Buglife in the process! Spring/Summer Brochure Don't forget you can stay up to date with the work of the Buglife team via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube! Thank you for your continued interest in and support of our work; together we can save the small things that run the planet! The Buglife Team Join the Buglife Community Donate Facebook icon Instagram icon LinkedIn icon YouTube icon Website icon Buglife Logo Copyright © 2026 Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive communications electronically from Buglife. Thank you. Our mailing address is: Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust Allia Future Business Centre London Road Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE2 8AN United Kingdom Company No. 04132695 | Registered Charity No. 1092293 | Scottish Charity No.SC040004 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

WADER APPEAL FROM THE BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY

View this email in your web browser Banner: Curlew, by Neil Calbrade / BTO Together we can create a brighter future for these wonderful birds Dear John My name is Sam Franks. I'm a Senior Research Ecologist here at BTO, and I'm passionate about wading birds like Lapwing, Snipe, Curlew and Redshank. I want to share with you information about the serious challenges they face, the important work that BTO is undertaking for these vulnerable birds, and how your support can help their recovery. Whether it's the swooping display and 'pee-wit' calls of a breeding Lapwing or the haunting cry of a Curlew over a hay meadow, our breeding waders give us some of the most iconic sights and sounds of the countryside. Yet, with their numbers in serious decline, there is a real danger that these experiences could become just a distant memory. Lapwing and Curlew numbers have sadly decreased in the UK by over 50% in the last 30 years, which is why I am asking you today to donate to help them. BTO needs your help today, to restore and protect wader populations. Please give what you can. Donate here today Nesting on the ground, waders are especially vulnerable to predators and habitat change. Waders are one of our most threatened groups of birds, with BTO data documenting severe declines. While conservation efforts, such as agri-environment schemes, habitat restoration and the development of protected areas, have shown signs of stemming some declines, we need to do more and we need to do it now. Curlew, by Rich Bunce Walking Photographer / BTO Curlew Currently only one in eight chicks survive Golden Plover, by Paul Hillion / BTO Redshank Numbers have fallen rapidly, with a 45% decrease since 1995 Golden Plover Its mournful fluty call, evocative of wild places, is now ever rarer BTO is a cornerstone of national efforts to recover breeding wader populations, working in three key areas: collecting evidence, testing solutions to save eggs and chicks, and engaging and supporting stakeholders in wader conservation. Your support can help our work to reverse their declines and create a brighter future for these wonderful birds. Here are some of the projects we need support for, in order to help these vulnerable species. Curlew Solutions Trial BTO has played a leading role in design, data collection and analysis for a pivotal project to assess the evidence for solutions that improve Curlew breeding success. Headstarting This is a promising conservation tool for Curlew recovery which involves collecting eggs from nests at risk of destruction, rearing the hatched chicks in captivity and releasing them into the wild. Working with farmers We are working with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, the Bolton Estate and farmers to collect vital information on vulnerable Curlew populations. With your help there's hope - of finding the most effective ways to protect breeding waders, ensuring their beautiful calls and displays grace our skies for years to come. Find our more and donate to this transformational work. Give Thank you so much for all your support - together we can make a difference for birds. With best wishes, Sam Franks Senior Research Ecologist Dunlin, by Gray Images / BTO You have received this email because your email address is subscribed to BTO email. The British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU Registered Charity No. 216652 (England & Wales) SC039193 (Scotland) Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy | Contact Us

FROM THE BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY - A MEMBERS UPDATE

The BTO logo – Birds Science People View this email in your web browser Puffin, by Sarah Kelman / BTO Dear John, Welcome to the Members Edition of the May BTO newsletter. Some broods of Blue Tits and Great Tits have already left the nest, while others are still receiving beakfuls of caterpillars from their busy parents. Migrant warblers are largely on eggs and our seabird colonies are a hive of activity. Elsewhere, returning Swifts have prompted posts of joy on social media, all adding to the sense of a busy spring. BTO staff and volunteers have been equally busy, as evident from the stories included below. The biggest of these stories concerns the results of the recent Winter Gull Survey, which make for alarming reading. The data from this survey provide vital evidence that will support policies aimed at helping this familiar group of species. Help BTO's work to restore wader populations Waders are one of our most threatened groups of birds, with BTO data documenting severe declines. Nesting on the ground, they are especially vulnerable to predators and habitat change. While conservation efforts, such as agri-environment schemes, habitat restoration and the development of protected areas, have shown signs of stemming some declines, we urgently need to do more. That's why we are asking for your support through our new fundraising campaign. Learn more and donate here Curlew chicks, by Harry Ewing / BTO Rethinking how we feed garden birds As reported in last month's newsletter, the best practice advice around garden bird feeding has changed, following an 18-month review of the scientific evidence led by the RSPB and involving BTO and other partners. BTO Senior Research Ecologist Dr Kate Plummer was one of the scientists on the group that reviewed published evidence on the pros and cons of feeding wild birds. In a new BTO blog, Kate sets out the rationale behind the conclusions reached. Read the blog Blue Tit, by Jill Pakenham / BTO Nesting Neighbours Prize Draw! Our Nesting Neighbours project is designed to help us improve our understanding of Britain's breeding birds. Whether you're already signed up or completely new to the scheme, it's the perfect time to get involved because we're running a prize draw this season for all Nesting Neighbours participants! Green Feathers are giving two Nesting Neighbours participants the chance to win a £175 voucher each to spend in their online shop, which stocks a range of wildlife camera and nest box kits. To be in with a chance to win, all you need to do is submit a record for the 2026 nesting season by midnight on Sunday 21 June! (T&Cs apply) Get involved Cover and pages from BTO News Latest News Wintering waterbirds Half a century of Wetland Bird Survey data provide a unique insight into changing waterbird populations, as a new paper shows. Wintering trends have become more negative over the past 25 years, and there is an urgent need to better understand why. Pintails, by Edmund Fellowes / BTO We need to act now A new study, involving BTO staff and using data from the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey, shows that actions taken during the next 20 years will be crucial if we are to mitigate the worst effects of climate and land-use change for Britain's biodiversity. Golden Plover, by Edmund Fellowes / BTO Winter Gull Survey results The results of the recent Winter Gull Survey (WinGS) have just been published and reveal substantial population declines for four of the five main wintering species. While Herring Gull numbers have remained largely stable over the last 20 years, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, and Great Black-backed Gull had all experienced notable declines. Over the two decades since the last WinGS, the total number of gulls wintering in the UK has decreased from 3.9 million to just under 2.5 million. The substantial overall downturns in wintering gull populations largely reflect broader declines affecting these species across their geographical range. The drivers of these downturns include the impacts of avian influenza, changes in land use and agricultural practices, climate change, and updates in waste management and fisheries discards practices. Although not all the gulls that winter in the UK stick around to breed here, some do, so these declines in wintering gull counts also have implications for the numbers encountered in the UK during the summer months. Common Gull, by Edmund Fellowes / BTO Thank you for your continued support! Happy birding, The BTO Membership Team DONATE VOLUNTEER British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU. www.bto.org | info@bto.org. Registered Charity no. 216652 (England & Wales) SC039193 (Scotland). Company Limited by Guarantee no. 357284 (England and Wales) Unsubscribe from the BTO e-newsletter

FROM FRIENDS OF THE EARTH - TOXIC WASTE - JELLY FISH - AND MORE

View in browser Dear John, This month I want to share some of the latest hopeful stories from around Friends of the Earth – from reopening railway stations to the rainforests of Malaysia. Let us know which is your favourite. Getting back on track After an absence of over 80 years, passenger services have resumed at 3 train stations in South Birmingham – the result of years of local campaigning supported by Birmingham Friends of the Earth. This victory highlights the hope our local action groups bring to their communities. As a Friends of the Earth supporter, you’re part of that story too. So why not put up a free Hope Starts Here poster – order yours today. ORDER MY POSTER Sending the frackers packing This just in – North Yorkshire County Council has made its formal decision about fracking in Burniston, near Scarborough. And it’s a NO. We’re really proud to have supported the local community’s epic campaign to stop Europa Oil and Gas’s plans for so-called low-level fracking. Which risked being approved because of a loophole in England’s fracking ban. Want to help close the loophole? Email energy secretary Ed Miliband today. I'LL ADD MY VOICE Anti-fracking protesters stand outside the council buildings in Scarborough Investigation into Malaysian timber announced Timber Development UK – the UK's largest timber trade body – has announced it is investigating Malaysian timber imports, following our exposé in March. This is a win for our campaign to clean up tainted timber and UK supply chains. We're pursuing this work with the UK government and industry – so watch this space. And if you want to help keep the pressure up, it’s not too late to sign our petition. I'LL SIGN THE PETITION Clean water makes the King’s speech With this week’s hot weather, millions of people have been getting back in the water. So it was positive to hear the Clean Water Bill announced in the King’s speech – meaning the government is due to sort our filthy water soon. Now it’s up to all of us to make sure it gets it right. For nature and for everyone taking a dip this summer. I'LL SIGN THE PETITION Wellbeing through nature Next Wednesday we’re hosting our second free Postcode Gardener webinar. This one is set to be a real treat. Over this hour-long session, you’ll learn about our innate connection to nature and its healing powers. Then we’ll take the time to slow down and reset with a guided meditation. 😌🌱 Wednesday 3 June, 7 pm to 8 pm. We hope to see you there! (And if you can’t make it, sign up and we’ll send you a recording.) I'LL RESERVE MY PLACE A photo of a man standing in a wood. Text 'Rooted in resilience: cultivating wellbeing through nature. Wednesday 3 June 7-8pm. Hosted by Ciaran McLoughlin, Postcode Gardener, Manchester I hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s news round up. With the hottest ever May temperatures recorded this week, and the rise of anti-climate action candidates in the local elections, we know we’ve got our work cut out. But there’s a lot going on around our network that gives us hope. I hope it’s working for you too. Beset wishes, Aleanna, Friends of the Earth About us Supporter promise Privacy policy Contact us DONATE This email was sent to spanishjohnedwards@gmail.com Want to change how you receive these emails? Unsubscribe from this list We send communications to our supporters who have opted in to receive emails from us. Friends of the Earth Limited. Reg. No. 01012357. Incorporated in England and Wales. Registered office: Friends of the Earth The Printworks 139 Clapham Road London, SW9 0HP United Kingdom Copyright © Friends of the Earth Limited

FROM THE HUNT SABOTEURS - HUNTING - SHOOTING - & DEAD BIRDS

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter SUMMER SNARING IS UNDERWAY Spring has sprung and Summer is getting underway. Many animals have spent months breeding, and many of their young will be starting to wander further from their home. Out in the countryside, HSA supporters are beginning to stumble across signs of wildlife persecution on shooting estates. Season of persecution This is the time of year when shooting estate gamekeepers, particularly on the grouse moors, ramp up their grim practices. Paid to eradicate undesirable species from shooting estates, ‘predator control’ is carried out to protect birds that undesirable humans will pay hundreds if not thousands of pounds to shoot. Gamekeepers will use snares to target areas animals will frequent; often close to watercourses or on paths through the undergrowth. These horrific sites must also be easy for keepers to access. Though these images were taken on moorland, the same logic applies anywhere which snares are deployed. Stink pits are used to lure in victims. Snares, such as the ones in this article, are also often set around “stink pits” (piles of dead animals) are used as bait to attract unfortunate foxes and badgers. The animals which form a stink pit are often the victims of traps and bullets elsewhere on the estate. The pile of corvids at this particular site suggests Larsen and ladder traps may be found elsewhere. The dumping of dead animals is governed by strict regulations; local trading standards or other environmental enforcement bodies may be interested to hear about stink pits. Particularly if they are placed near watercourses, as this one was. Further footage of a gruesome stink pit can be seen here. https://www.huntsabs.org.uk/shocking-stink-pits-exposed-spotlight-on-shocklach-hall/ Scotland and Wales see sense In England, though it is currently legal to snare foxes, snares are indiscriminate. ‘Non target’ species, such as badger, hare, deer, dogs and cats are regularly captured and harmed by snares and other traps. On the moorlands, endangered Mountain hare are also at risk of a long, lingering death, caused by panicked strangulation in these disgusting traps. Northern Counties Mink Hunt rumbled While pro shooting propaganda claims that snares are only used to ‘restrain’ an animal, while they wait hours for a gamekeeper to come and shoot them, the reality is that being caught in a snare is a brutal experience. Despite alleged best practice guidelines, the struggling animal will cause the wire snare to tighten around them causing lacerations and internal injuries. It’s no wonder that the Scottish and Welsh governments have now banned snaring, despite the desperate attempted rebranding of snares as ‘humane cable restraints’ by the shooting industry. Routine cruelty The reality is that traps and snares provide convenience and routine to a gamekeeper's duties. Regulations say that snares must be checked daily; a task which may form a significant part of a keepers daily round. Without being able to litter shooting estates with brutal contraptions, keepers would need to do much more sitting around with guns, covering a smaller area at a time. Though, arguably, this would be more efficient in some ways, we aren’t arguing for one form of killing over another! Despite a ban on snaring in Wales, keepers on the Welsh Ruabon Moor estate were caught using snares in 2025. Showing that the shooters aren’t at all intending to give up their tools without a fight and demonstrating a need for boots on the ground! https://www.greenbritainfoundation.co.uk/updates/landmark-investigation-first-formal-illegal-snare-use-case-since-bans-in-wales-an Repeat offenders The video and images in this report were sent in to the HSA from the notorious Moscar Estate in Derbyshire. Wildlife persecution is well documented on this estate on the websites of Moorland Monitors and Hunt Investigation Team. Notably, an ex gamekeeper was caught snaring badgers in summer 2020. Badgers are protected in legislation, therefore it is illegal to target them with snares. https://huntinvestigationteam.org/moscar-estate-files/ The government has launched a public consultation on Trail Hunting – this is our chance to stop cruel hunting for good. You can read the HSA’s guidance and take part in the consultation here. The deadline is 18th June 2026 – make sure your voice is heard. Take part in the Trail Hunting Consultation now: Have your say Join the Hunt Saboteurs Association! Support our vital work by becoming a member. Join The HSA Spread the word! Please share our news Share via email Facebook icon Instagram icon Twitter icon Logo Copyright (C) 2026 Hunt Saboteurs Association. All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from Hunt Saboteurs Association. Our mailing address is: BM HSA, London, WC1N 3XX, U.K. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

FROM THE RIGHT TO ROAM

CAUTION: May contain traces of public enjoyment Dear Roamers, Record-breaking temperatures. A bank holiday weekend. We all know what happens next: like any toasty mammal, we head en masse to the nearest water in the hunt for a refreshing dip. Such days can feel like a Great British Bacchanalia, with the headlines to boot. But for those not blessed with shady gardens or a nearby lido, access to the water is fundamental; the desire for it, inescapable. As the climate heats and such events become more frequent and intense, you’d therefore assume we’d follow our European neighbours in treating access to water as an essential piece of social infrastructure. After all, in large parts of the continent, swimming in rivers, lakes and reservoirs is not only permitted but actively supported by the state. In France, for instance, water is considered 'res communis' – part of the common heritage of the nation. Many mayoralties declare their municipal reservoirs as baignade surveillée (supervised swimming zones) with safe swimming areas demarcated and lifeguards put on hand. In Sweden, under its famous principle of Allemansrätten, access to water is a right. Impromptu signage happily lists the things you can do in a watercourse before reminding you of the things you can’t (at one lake: ‘swim, jump, dive – but NO SOAP’). Alas, in England and Wales, such enlightened municipalism is apparently still beyond us. This week, the Peak District National Park Authority put up social media posts which spoke of wild swimming in a tonal register usually reserved for crack cocaine, warning sweaty visitors not to ‘enter the water at any time in the National Park’ unless as part of an organised event. Swimming is ‘not permitted in any reservoir’ it continued, with a stiff reminder that ‘many rivers are privately-owned, have fishing rights, or are designated for the protection of wildlife’. Why, you might ask, was any of this - with the exception of wildlife protection - a concern of the National Park Authority? After all, park authorities are public bodies, whose statutory purpose is to promote and protect public enjoyment of the parks, not to serve as a police force for private water companies or riparian landowners. The backlash was rapid and extensive, and the post was replaced. In the meantime, we fixed it for them. Still, it’s a pattern. Private water companies can afford to be indifferent to the public interest in the reservoirs they manage (but did not build). Easier, in their view, to send out the private security than make provisions for recreational use. And even public-spirited landowners can be anxious about liability and hazards on the waterways they control. Meanwhile, many of our rivers have either been treated as dumping grounds for sewage and industrial agriculture, or as exclusive playgrounds for those who can afford the fishing rights. Use of the water itself (as opposed to the banks and bed) remains legally disputed: a grey area which leads to conflict, and rule by those most willing to be aggressive. There are, of course, genuine safety issues with wild swimming in inland waters, just as there are at sea. A small number of tragedies occur every year, and 2026 has sadly proved no different. Yet the widespread culture of prohibition has done little to prevent them. Public communication is wasted on admonition when it could be used for education. For neutral, practical advice on swimming in reservoirs and wild waters this summer, we recommend the resources provided by our friends at The Outdoor Swimming Society. Share them with friends and family. And continue to campaign for the Right to Swim. Fundraising Update Many thanks to those of you who signed up as supporters following our appeal last week. We’re now just over a sixth of the way to our target to keep the campaign going. We’re hoping to announce some special benefits for new and existing subscribers shortly, so if you can afford to help keep the campaign rolling, now’s the perfect time. To become a supporter, visit righttoroam.org.uk/donate or follow the link in the footer – you’ll get an automatic link to a dashboard which lets you update your details and cancel any time. Imagine being able to swim without some puce-faced fella feeling entitled to yell at you while you’re shivering in your swimmers. Sure, Netflix passes the time. But for the same price, you can buy the priceless. Local Group Announcements Kernow 9th June – Following a great session at the Folk Fayre in Redruth, Kernow Right to Roam will be hosting a screening of Our Land at Verdant Brewery Taproom in collaboration with Brewing Folk and our friends at The Stone Club. Come along to watch the film, have a beer and a chat, and find out how to get involved with the local campaign. Leicestershire 14th June – the group are meeting for a botany-themed walk followed by a wee trespass. Meet at 10.30am at a layby on the 'Top Brand' road, North West Leicestershire (What3words: https://what3words.com/instructs.finders.having). The walk will take approximately two hours over a distance of two and a half miles. Bristol 17th June – The Bristol group will be meeting at Cafe Kino for an introductory evening session on the Right to Roam campaign, trespass planning, a workshop navigating interactions with landowners, and a trespass story exchange. Sign up on Headfirst here. Stoke and the Shires 27th June – After a successful first walk surveying the deteriorating Right of Way network in the local area, the newly founded Stoke and Shires Right to Roam group will be meeting again for a walk. To find out more follow them on Instagram @right2roamstoke, or drop them an email at right2roamstoke@gmail.com. Our Land in the Financial Times Finally, if you still haven’t seen Our Land, here’s some encouragement from the Financial Times. They’ve just released an excellent four-star review of the film, which they describe as a ‘stunning documentary about the ever more inaccessible English countryside’. Its critic writes: “Our Land features some of the most beautiful English vistas imaginable. Enjoy them on screen if you can, because you’re unlikely to visit them in person any time soon: vast swaths of the English countryside are fenced off by their owners, whereas in Scotland, freedom to roam is a public right.” A full list of screenings is available here. P.S – thanks to Scottish access legend, Dave Morris, who not only drove through the Land Reform Act in 2003 but also spotted a broken link our last newsletter. So if you missed the link to the Guardian news story on Our Land, it’s here. Keep roaming (and swimming). Jon, on behalf of the Right to Roam team ---------- Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. Want to get involved? Visit our website here. This campaign is made possible through small monthly donations from supporters like you. We are currently relying on only a few hundred monthly subscribers. Without growing that number, our work is at risk. Can you help keep us going by becoming a monthly subscriber? £5 / Month £10 / Month £15 / Month £20 / Month The graphic used by the Peak District National Park for a misguided post about wild swimming. Take Action Visit our social accounts Check out our site This email was sent from this site. If you no longer wish to receive this email, change your email preferences here.