ALDINGBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL DISCOVERY BAT WALKS

Here you can find out all the information you need about the walks, and how to book tickets.  

INFORMATION ABOUT THE WALKS – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE BOOKING ANY TICKETS

Aldingbourne Parish Council is delighted to invite residents on two special Bat Discovery Walks, each led by local ecologist Matt Phelps and Ryan Greaves/Dr Sam Kelly from the Sussex Bat Group.

Past surveys for the Council have revealed that we have a rich network of bat activity locally, with at least nine different species living in the parish, including the rare Barbastelle and Bechstein’s bats.

The Parish Council is keen to encourage residents to share in the fantastic biodiversity we have locally, and so has organised walks on:

• Thursday 5 September, and
• Friday 6 September.

Residents attending the walks will be issued with electronic detectors provided by the Sussex Bat Group that pick up the calls of different bat species.

The timings for each walk will be as follows:

• 6.45 pm: assemble at St Mary the Virgin Parish Church, Church Road, Aldingbourne, PO20 3TT. Please park in the church car park or if full, along the boundary wall of the church. 
  
  
• 7 – 7.30pm: illustrated talk by Matt Phelps/Ryan Greaves/Dr Sam Kelly on bats and their behaviour, inside the church (by kind permission of Fr Paul Armstead).
  
  
• 7.30 – 8.30 pm: bat detecting in the churchyard, and if time permits and participants agree, around the millpond.

The charge for the walks is £4 for adults and children over 12 (children 12 and under free), payable in cash only, on the night.

We do not anticipate any excessive risks on the walks (Matt, Ryan and Sam are experienced leaders of outdoor group activities), but parents should supervise their children closely, and all participants should keep in mind that darkness will be falling and follow the instructions of the walk leaders at all times.

Please bring a torch with you on the night.

Important: if the weather is rainy on either night, we will unfortunately have to cancel the walk as the bats will not emerge. We will inform participants by 5pm if this is the case.

HOW TO BOOK TICKETS – BOOKING OPENS MONDAY 5 AUGUST 2024

For safety reasons and so as not to drive the bats away, each walk has to be limited to 25 people (children aged 6 and over welcome). We expect there to be great demand for places – first come, first served! However, please do not request tickets before booking opens on 5 August 2024.

In order not to prevent others from coming, please only book a place if you know you can definitely attend. Or if your plans change unavoidably between now and then, please be sure to let our clerk know as soon as possible by email (email address below), or telephone 07849 806955.

To book a place, please email Marie Singleton, Aldingbourne Parish Council Clerk, at  clerk@aldingbourne-pc.gov.uk, stating clearly:

• Which date you would like to attend.
• How many places you require.
• The names of the people in your party.
• Ages of any children.
• A contact telephone number.

You will receive an acknowledgement as soon as possible informing you whether your application has been successful or not, together with a copy of the risk assessment for the event which must be read. We hope to run further walks next year if demand is high.