Entry into RSPB reserves
December 2019 sees the end of a long period (16 years) of the partnership between the RSPB and Caravan and Motorhome Club. We have enjoyed the long relationship but due to the need to ensure maximum funding for RSPB we are no longer able to offer free entry and car parking into RSPB nature reserves for Caravan and Motorhome Club members.
There are many seasonal activities happening on the RSPB sites in the month and winter sees some stunning wildlife spectacles. There are some great places to find unusual Christmas presents for friends and family of all ages and tastes with shops at:
Arne, Dorset;
Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire;
Carsington, Derbyshire;
Conwy, Conwy
Darts Farm, Devon;
Dee Estuary, Cheshire;
Dungeness, Kent;
Fairburn Ings, West Yorkshire;
Lake Vyrnwy, Shropshire
Leighton Moss, Powys;
Loch Garten, Caigngorms;
Loch Leven, Perth and Kinross;
Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire;
Minsmere, Suffolk;
Newport Wetlands, Newport;
Old Moor, Barnsley District;
Pulborough Brooks, West Sussex;
Rainham Marshes, Essex;
Ribble Estuary, Lancashire;
Saltholme, Middlesbrough;
Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire;
South Stack Cliffs, Anglesey;
The Lodge, Bedfordshire;
Titchwell, Norfolk.
There are over 200 RSPB nature reserves to be explored around the country. They will still be there for you to explore for many years to come. Some have full visitor facilities (such as those listed above) and others, equally special which are more remote. Perhaps a good Christmas present to yourself or partner is an RSPB membership, where you get free entry to all sites, free parking where the RSPB owns car parks, a high-quality quarterly members’ magazine and you will be supporting the work of the UK’s leading wildlife conservation charity. Members’ support is essential to continuing the great work of RSPB, creating homes for wildlife and engaging people with nature. Details of how to become an RSPB member can be found at https://www.rspb.org.uk/join-and-donate/join-us/
The RSPB wishes to sincerely thank the Caravan and Motorhome Club for all its support in the past. Club members will still be made to feel welcome at our reserves and events in the future, whether they chose to become RSPB members.
Comments
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So do we ET. Kept our membership up throughout. It’s possibly the one membership we don’t always cover, but we don’t mind.
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Corporate memberships of organisations seems to becoming a thing of the past. The company I worked for had a scheme whereby current and retired employees had free access to National Trust properties but that stopped (I think by the NT) a couple of years ago. We still visit the odd NT property but have not joined the organisation as we don't visit enough to warrant the annual expenditure. I have a general interest in bird life but I am not sufficient of an enthusiast to join the RSPB and would probably follow the same procedure with their sites as I do with the NT. Obviously the more likely you are to visit their locations be it RSPB or NT the more beneficial membership becomes.
David
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Remember the list of reserves above is just those with shops and there are many more available all over the uk, I think around 200?
We're lucky as we have several in Somerset (the cranes have caused quite a bit of interest.) Somerset, due to more basic sites, doesn't get a mention in Jonno's lists and the same for all the others in the uk too.
Like many on here, we've been members for a long time and although we don't attend there's an active local group too.
I hope the RSPB can get more paying visitors, I think CAMC members have been lucky to have this concession, it's been one of the best value ones!
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I joined the RSPB years before buying a caravan and have no problems or qualms about paying the membership fee. I've seen the progress the society has made over the last 30+ years and am glad to have contributed, albeit in a very small way.
It's also worth bearing in mind that some of the reserves that they manage can be seen without "entering" through a centre building. Plenty of estuaries where the general public can view from sea walls etc. Moors that have public rights of way plus Footpaths through them such as found at Titchwell.
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For some peculiar reason, Dearne Valley Old Moor isn’t shown in Jonno’s List under County, like the others. It’s in South Yorkshire. Great cafe and shop, a good day out.😁
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Sorry, I listed it as Old Moor. Jonno
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A complete list of the 200 RSPB nature reserves that are open to visitors can be found online at https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/ . This search facility can be done alphabetically, geographically, facilities, wildlife types, habitats and many other options. Note that some sites are clustered due to their close proximities.
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Thank you for the information, Jonno.
I'm hoping that the loss of the Partnership will NOT mean the end of R S P B's links here on CT. Many of the Club's members are keen wildlife lovers and even more info just might gain you a few more members.
A B M
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Disappointed about this, but much more disappointed not to find out until I arrived at Old Moor today. Why wasn't the end of the concession more widely notified. i certainly didn't see it in the mag or via an email alert.
Needless to say i joined the RSPB and had a great day, but forewarned might have been better
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I am also sorry that the partnership has ended but realise that like many organisations the forever rising costs to keep them solvent, means many are having to introduce charging for non members, and increases for members is only going to be felt by more on "tight" budgets , just hope it does not have to much of a detrimental effect on "foot fall"as time costs,and prices keep increasing
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Pity, it was a feature of our CMC membership we used, but not one we can justify to fund the additional stand alone £60 membership fee this change brings. Will miss it.
We will continue contributing our time, doing the garden survey, doing the year through feeding and keeping nest boxes going. Getting a bit too old and infirm to take adequate advantage anyway.
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Same here👍🏻, sick of letters asking for donations😤😤
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I don't get letters / requests asking for donations either, but I do get the 'Seasonal ' draw tickets Which can always be returned at no cost to me . But the one thing that makes me smile comes with my annual renewal paperwork -- It's the Offer of cheap ( should that be cheep ? ) Life Fellow Membership for only £960 or so for two.
I don't fret about the draws 'cos I get them from everything from Air Ambulance down - i accept that " Charity " means Please Cough Up !
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Mmmm, just us soft touches then, which could be correct as I have given to then in the past so I may have been targeted again🤷🏻♂️
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We’ve had them Rocky. Usually asking us to donate to fund some bog in Patagonia that is in dire need. I don’t doubt the bog, or the dire need, but prefer to support more local projects. We remain Members, but as I said earlier, we never cover our fees with reserve visits. But that’s our fault really, one trip to East Anglia would be worth it.
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Don't mind the letters. However, one year I made the mistake of giving contact details so they could phone about the bird watch. I assumed it was a survey to gauge accuracy. Didn't mind talking to them about that but then came the very hard sell re joining the RSPB. In the end I just had to put the phone down to get rid of them, they didn't want to take not at the moment as an answer. It did more to put me off joining the organisation than encourage, so was rather counterproductive.
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I find your post rather perplexing. How can birds and the "everything else in nature" not be inextricably linked? How can an organisation dedicated to bird and habitat preservation not become involved in the everything else?
Habitat destruction, by whatever source, is bad for the birds. Loss of food source due to a change in climate, again from whatever source you wish, is bad for the birds. If the insects or fish or other relevant food is unavailable then birds will decline. So I can't see how the RSPB couldn't include other nature in their remit.
If you wish to use politics as a reason for leaving then that is a different matter.
We get a request every month for a donation either with their magazine or stand alone. It's not compulsory to give one.
They have our telephone number but we opted out of communication from them either by phone or email, just like we do with many other organisations.0 -
We joined the RSPB some years ago with a view to going round the country with the van visiting the sites and the local areas, but found that most sites do not allow dogs ( unless there is a public right of way through the site ie coastal path etc) so did not renew after one year. To make matters worse arrived at Bempton Cliff reserve yesterday to be told it would cost £4.50 each to park and walk down the 200 yard path to the public right of way Coastal Path. Caravan club membership no longer valid. Went into Scarborough for fish and chips and a walk on the prom instead.
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Parking in North bay is not free there are ticket machines. South Bay is free & plentiful👍🏻
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Entrance fees
The entrance is £5 per adult and this includes car parking. If you have an RSPB membership entrance is free. If you have children with you, the first enters for free and anymore are charged at £2.50 a head.29 Jun 2018
Quoted wrong post before
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