Calling all East Anglian runners

01 Jan 2012 | No. 2012-02

Want to run? Want to help Britain’s birds? Want to support one of the country’s biggest bird charities? Then the Brighton marathon could be just the right event for you.

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), based in Thetford, hasreserved a number of places in this year’s Brighton marathon, to be held on 15 April, and it has a small number of them left. By taking part for the BTO you will be raising funds to help conserve Britain’s birds. Last year hundreds of pounds were raised by runners in the Brighton marathon, helping to fund much needed research into birds like the Cuckoo, Nightingale and Swift, all of which have shown dramatic declines as breeding birds in this country. By running twenty-six miles you can help birds that travel up to ten thousand miles each year.

Rachel Irvine, of the BTO, commented, “It is amazing what people will do for Britain’s birds, we have had people jump out of aeroplanes, shave their beard off and cycle coast to coast, all to raise vital funds for research and conservation."

If you want to secure a place, or for more information, please visit www.bto.org/run or call Rachel Irvine on 01842 750050.

Notes to Editors

1. The BTO is the UK’s leading bird research organisation. Over thirty thousand volunteers contribute to the BTO’s surveys. They collect information that forms the basis of conservation action in the UK. The BTO maintains a staff of 100 at its offices in Norfolk, Bangor and Stirling, who analyse and publicise the results of project work. The BTO’s investigations are funded by government, industry and conservation organisations.