President's Page
Peter Harvey 32 Lodge Lane, Grays, Essex RM16 2YP. Tel: (01375) 371571.
Email: grays@peterharvey.freeserve.co.uk
Basildon have been successful in gaining further funding to develop Wat Tyler Country Park.
Subject to the terms and conditions of the grant, and the formal approval by Basildon Council
for this grant, the Club will be in a position to further develop its plans for a centre at the park
by March. If successful, not only will the Club finally be in a position to gain a secure home for
its collections and library, but there will be enormous opportunities for the Club to develop its
membership and fulfil its charitable objectives, at the same time providing an addition to the
education, training and visitor facilities at the park. It will herald a new era for the Club which
we will need to embrace - there is a great opportunity here, but also a great challenge.
In October the Club put in a grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for funding to
digitise the Club's publications back to 1880 and make them available on the internet as a
searchable public resource together with an associated image library. We have just heard that
we have been successful! Work will start on this in the New Year.
In our efforts to slim down our very extensive collections and library, we had already identified
our microscopy journals for disposal. The Queckett Microscopical Society has now helped
us to find a good home for these, not only freeing up a substantial space in our extremely
crowded storage facilities but also benefiting the Club with apayment of £313.
Our annual exhibition and social was a great success, with our largest attendance yet and a good
proportion of non-members attending. The excellent buffet and refreshments were as usual
provided by Mary Smith, and our thanks go to Mary and the rest of the Ex&Soc team Ken
Adams, Brian Ecott and Emma Simmonds for all the work done to make the event such a
success. Donations at the event totalled £250.21, with £127 for surplus books and general
donations of £ 123.21, and members collecting their new Essex Naturalist once again saved us
a considerable amount of postage.
At the AGM this year on Saturday 14th March we are pleased to have David I ledges, Senior
Site Manager for RSPB South Essex Marshes, to provide our annual presentation. David
will review the work the RSPB has already done and outline its future plans for the South
Essex Marshes reserves vision. Don't miss this chance to learn about what the RSPB are
doing in South Essex and ask questions or input your ideas.
David Scott has been County Recorder for amphibians and reptiles for a great many years,
and as well as recording and collating county records during this time he has published many
articles in the newsletter and Essex Naturalist. David has decided it is time to retire and pass
the reins on to someone new, and on behalf of the Club and Council I would like to thank
David for all his hard work over the years.
Jon Cranfield has taken over the role and although he currently lives in Hampshire he has
strong links with Essex and of course the Essex Amphibian and Reptile Group and the
Club's Herpetofauna Group. Jon would prefer that people submit records through email to
JCranfield26@googlemail.com or essex_arg@hotmail.com (also see MapMate details on
last page of newsletter). His address is 38 Nursery Road, Alresford, Hampshire S024 9JR.
Tel: 07769 644354.
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 58, January 2009 1