Go Wild Biodiversity Partnership Caerphilly

To support a local biodiversity partnership event called ‘Go Wild’ (Saturday, 8th June 2013), which has been taking place biennially between Pontllanfraith (Caerphilly) and Tredegar (Blaenau Gwent) for 10 years. Over 100 organisations/groups participate in the event, such as the Wildlife Trusts, Hedgehog Helpline, bird and butterfly clubs. The event regularly attracts over 4,000 visitors and is one of the biggest and most well-established biodiversity events in the Valleys Regional Park area. It is also the flagship Wales Biodiversity Week event. The aim of the event is to raise awareness of local wildlife and what we can all do to help conserve and enhance biodiversity, as well as the importance of green spaces and sustainable living. All food for sale at the event is locally sourced and, where possible, organic. It is a family event with a variety of activities for children, live animal displays and lots of free expert information and advice. This year we are considering a theme based on pollination and the importance of pollinators. Example comment received via www.visitcaerphilly.com :

“We attended the Go wild! event at Pontllanfraith today, and I just wanted to say a big thank you for such a lovely day out. It was wonderful to speak to so many passionate and knowledgeable people. My son (aged 6) was amazed to see otters, slow worms and grass snakes, and had the opportunity to stroke a baby hedgehog. None of which he had ever had the chance to see in real life!! A wonderful experience that we will both remember. Thank you!”

The Location

The event normally takes place in Sir Harold Finch Memorial Park, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood, NP12 2YW, which is a public park and a Local Nature Reserve (LNR), and at a central location in the county borough. There is a variety of habitats within the park, including a pond, hedgerows, woodland and wildflower meadows, as well as a playground, footpaths and car park. Part of the site is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) comprising traditional hay meadows.

In-Kind Support Required

No

Financial Support Required

Yes

Value of Support Required

The estimated cost of the event this year is approximately £12,750 and a breakdown of this is as follows:

£3,800 – marquee, tables and chairs, toilets, fire extinguisher hire, overnight security
£750 – graphics and printing (posters, flyers and banners)
£200 – prizes (children’s linking competition and adult free prize draw for evaluation forms)
£500 – storyteller, face painter
£1,000 – live animal displays
£500 – displays of local enterprises, e.g. wood craft
£1,000 – miscellaneous event equipment (wood for bird box kits, hand gel, hazard tape, rope, pens, pencils, clipboards, etc.)
£5,000 – central arena / main activity based the theme for the event, e.g. pollination
Option of inviting a celebrity to attend as a wildlife champion for increased publicity - £ not known

Local Name and Contact Details

Melanie Dodd, Ecologist, Caerphilly County Borough Council 01495 235253 doddm@caerphilly.gov.uk 
Or Margaret Iles, Biodiversity Assistant, Caerphilly CBC 01495 235450 ilesm@caerphilly.gov.uk 
Or Alison Jones, Principal Ecologist, Caerphilly CBC 01495 235187 Jonesa2@caerphilly.gov.uk 

Any Other Comments

The event is organised and supervised by staff from the Caerphilly CBC Countryside and Landscape Service on behalf of the Caerphilly Biodiversity Partnership. The event is therefore largely reliant on a large number of volunteers (c.100), so no organisations attending the event are charged, other than those that would gain commercially (e.g. refreshment providers, which would be charged 10% of their takings).

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