PRESS RELEASE: COMMUNITY BIRD ART TO BE PRESENTED TO BALDERTON PARISH COUNCIL AT NEXT BALDERTON PARISH MEETING (04 MAY)

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Artwork and Balderton Lake wildlife Images can be downloaded here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2th9xzc9lkq3inl/AABuqAzVtPhqpUQ8kMyGQ7VSa?dl=0 

Balderton Parish Council will see one of its biggest annual parish meeting turnouts on 4 May as concerned residents will attend to see discussions on Balderton Parish Council granting permission to YMCA on running water sports on Balderton Lake. 

Campaigners from the community group, Saving Wildlife and Nature (SWAN), will be presenting two iconic bird pieces of artwork, expressing the communities views, young and old, on keeping Balderton Lake protected. A colourful kingfisher and swan - both species which are well documented to be living on the lake - will be presented. Each bird is made up of hundreds of signatures and notes calling on Balderton Parish Council to prioritise wildlife over watersports. 

“I will be there on Wednesday representing the followers of the Balderton Lake Facebook page. We want to hear answers to our questions on how the YMCA and Balderton Parish Council can guarantee there will be no negative impact on our local wildlife when so much evidence points to the contrary,” says local resident Sam Farrell. 

“I am hoping that Balderton Parish Council will revoke their decision to allow the YMCA use of watersports on Balderton Lake. They should be working to protect our wildlife and green spaces, not encouraging encroachment and commercialisation of it. Especially when there are many nearby facilities already geared up for water sports. It does not make ecological or environmental sense.” 

This community artwork follows on the heels of a well-performing petition of over 2,500 signatures (including paper copies) calling on Balderton Parish Council to keep boats banned on this beauty spot.

SWAN has also met with Robert Jenrick, Conservative MP for Newark, to express their concerns about the negative impacts caused by boating on both the wildlife and the community. 

Sadly, despite such public opposition and lack of public consultation, Balderton Parish Council signed a licence agreement with YMCA on 14th Jan 2022, for a 10-year duration, subject to the docking design being approved. 

ENDS

Notes to editors: 

For further details, please contact:

Karen Callingham (07736966398)

Emma Oldham (07939180489) 

  • Newark only has 19.04sqm of green provision per person - just above that of London at 18.96sqm. 

  • Populations of UK native birds are 11% lower than they were in 1970.

  • Balderton Lake is an important site for Kingfishers. These small unmistakable bright blue and orange birds fish from riverside perches. They are listed as a Schedule 1 species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, meaning no activity which could disturb them between March-August is allowed.

  • Due to populations severely declining in Britain or because they are considered under threat of global extinction, the red list of Britain’s most endangered birds has recently increased to 70 species. Iconic birds to Balderton Lake including swift, housemartins, starling, mistle thrush, house and tree sparrows are on the 'Birds of Conservation Concern' red list.

  • Birds on the amber list including greylag goose, mallard, woodpigeon, sparrowhawk, wren and song thrush have all been recorded feeding, nesting, residing on and visiting Balderton Lake.

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PROTEST 22 MAY: LOCAL VILLAGE PEOPLE TO CALL ON YMCA TO LEAVE BALDERTON LAKE ALONE