Herald - Issue 405

Page 32 • The HERALD • 22nd April 2021 v SAY YOU SAW IT IN THE HERALD v e Woodside Singers have been out of action for over a year and are keen to have a conductor in place ready to lead them back to rehearsals as soon as restrictions allow. Further information can be found on their website at: www.woodsidesingers.co.uk or call Mike on: 023 8081 2292 for an informal chat. Hanger Farm Arts Centre in Totton is looking forward with confidence to reopening in May after receiving a welcome funding boost. e Arts Centre has been largely closed for the last year due to COVID-19 restrictions but is now eagerly anticipating the opportunity to re-open should restrictions ease as planned in mid-May. e re-opening plans have now received support from e eatres Trust with a grant of £4,700 towards PPE to keep sta and audiences safe once they return to the theatre. is is part of £155,000 worth of grants handed out by the national advisory body for theatre to assist with the added COVID-19 costs of re-opening theatres. Hanger Farm Arts Centre is run by Minstead Trust, a charity supporting people with learning disabilities to live more independent lives. e Trust supports people to gain work experience working in the Arts Centre’s café as well as running an inclusive community theatre group. e pandemic has been hugely challenging for the Arts Centre and the other areas of Minstead Trust, which has seen its income vastly reduced as its social enterprises closed for several months. e Trust runs Furzey Gardens in Minstead and Minstead Lodge conference and events venue as well as Hanger Farm. ese enterprises also o er work experience for people with learning disabilities to work towards employment. Kyle Maxwell, Hanger Farm Arts Centre Manager, said: “After a long, difficult year it is really exciting to be looking forward with optimism to the day when we can welcome audiences back to the Arts Centre. This grant from The Theatres Trust is a huge help to our efforts to make a visit to the theatre this summer as safe and enjoyable as possible. Our preparations for reopening will now be able to continue apace, as we get ready for a jam-packed schedule of music, theatre and comedy in the second half of the year.” eatres Trust Director Jon Morgan says: “ We are beginning to look forward to a time when theatres can reopen, welcome audiences back inside and continue to play a vital role in their communities. Following a difficult year, Theatres Trust is delighted to be able to support Hanger Farm Arts Centre, a much-loved community theatre, with its plans for a safe reopening.” Shows at Hanger Farm Arts Centre are available to book now at: www.hangerfarm.co.uk Wanted... Music Conductor! The Stage is Set to Re-Open Hanger Farm Main Theatre HOW WATCHING YOUR STEP CAN HELP RARE BREEDING BIRDS AS WE RETURN TO THE COUNTRYSIDE People have been noticing nature much more during lockdown, as garden birds and other wildlife have helped lift spirits and connect us to the world outside. A recent YouGov survey, commissioned by the RSPB, showed that 41% of participants reported seeing wildlife near their homes that they had never noticed before over the last 12 months. Almost half of the UK population (44%) have said they have tried to attract nature to their gardens during lockdown but as restrictions ease, the RSPB is keen to highlight that many of our threatened species don’t use gardens and nest boxes when raising young. Over half of England’s most threatened breeding bird species nest on, or near to the ground; including curlew, little tern, nightjar and lapwing. “If you ask people where bird’s nest, they are likely say a tree, hedge or nest box. It’s an image we’ve all grown up with but for some of our most threatened species it’s simply not true. Almost every natural habitat in the English countryside can be home to ground nesting birds and many of these species are under increasing pressure due to habitat loss, predators and climate change. Yet we can all help protect them from disturbance by simply following The Countryside Code and keeping to footpaths.” says Sara Humphrey, Communications Manager. In Hampshire, rare birds like woodlark and nightjar nest on heathland sites, which are o en popular places to walk, cycle, horse ride and picnic. By keeping yourself and your animals to the footpaths, you can help to keep chicks safe. Fire risk can also be very high on heathlands, so pack a picnic rather than a BBQ and take any litter home. Even beaches can be home to rare ground nesting birds; little tern, ringed plover and oystercatcher all make homes in coastal shingle. By keeping your eyes peeled for signage, your dogs on leads and by backing away if you see signs that parents are alarmed, you can help to protect beach nesting birds. Birds nesting on the ground are at higher risk from predators, which is why the nests and eggs they contain are o en extremely well camou aged. is makes them very hard to see and avoid. “A skylark egg can be as small as 17mm across, that’s around the width of a 5p piece. When those eggs hatch, the vulnerable chicks can be just as well camouflaged. If disturbed, a chick’s instinct is often to stay quiet and avoid detection, so if you hear an adult bird calling out in distress or see one trying to catch your attention, back away carefully to help protect nests from harm.” says Mike Shurmer, Head of Species for RSPB England. e RSPB’s conservation scientists have developed methods to help protect nesting birds from environmental threats including climate change, wild re and sea level rise, which can be delivered through managing landscapes for wildlife. ey have seen fantastic results for species including roseate tern and stone curlew; but to protect ground nesting birds across the countryside, everyone can play a part by watching where they step, keeping dogs on leads and following e Countryside Code. e RSPB works closely with partners and communities to protect wildlife across their network of over 200+ UK nature reserves and in the wider countryside. To nd out more about RSPB reserves and projects near you, or to help fund the vital work the charity does to protect wildlife, visit: www.rspb. org.uk Nightjar (Photo: Nigel Blake) Ringed Plover (Photo: Kevin Sawford) A ernoon sessions are being held every Tuesday between 1.30pm and 3pm in the Lilac Room at Totton & Eling Community Centre*. Information available on local organisations including Totton Armed Forces Supporters, Totton & Eling Community Centre and Totton Men’s Shed. Please contact Susan on: 023 8087 3143 for more information. *Please wear a face covering and observe current government guidelines. Totton & Eling Community Support and Information