|
Celebrating
Great British Insects
Photograph below is by Peter
Maton
GET ready to celebrate all things
great about British insects during National Insect Week 2012,
running from 25
June to 1 July 2012. It is organised by the Royal Entomological Society, the week will see
scores of events held across the UK, from bug hunts and bioblitzes
to minibeast safaris and moth walks.
Other events are planned at key locations which include:-
►
Cheltenham Science Festival – science expert Dr Adam Hart
will be at the festival to talk about insect phobias
►
Yorkshire Air Museum – a
summer-long celebration of British insects which includes the
opportunity to look at the 'Nature of Flight' and take part in an
insect design competition with entries displayed on the nose of a
Nimrod jet
►
RAF Museum, London – a day
of fascinating facts about insects and creepy crawly crafts
►
The British Film Institute –
a showing of 'Bugs!', a 3D film featuring real-life insects
►
National Trust Fountains Abbey,
North Yorkshire – a chance for schoolchildren to try edible
insects cooked by a local chef, hear about their role as a
sustainable food source and take part in a bug hunt.
National Insect Week coordinator Luke Tilley said:- "Great
Britain has some fascinating insects and we are incredibly lucky to
have such brilliant examples of biodiversity on our shores. We have
some great events and initiatives coming up to celebrate National
Insect Week and we really want to encourage everyone to get involved
in celebrating our insects this summer."
National Insect Week will also feature its ever popular photography
competition in which people are invited to submit their best shots
of brilliant British bugs. This year's competition – launched during
Insect Week; is sponsored by Olympus, supported by the Riverfly
Partnership and the Environment Agency.
National Insect Week's main sponsor is Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete
UK who are staging two major bioblitz events during the week itself.
The week is also supported by more than 60 partners, including the
National Trust, National History Museum, the RSPB, Wildlife Trust
and the Royal Horticultural Society to name but a few.
To learn more about the National Insect Week and to find out all
about the many events that are taking place
near you, why not visit:-
nationalinsectweek.co.uk.
You can also register your very own National Insect Week event
through the events
website today! |
 |
Greener buses
arrive in Liverpool
LISTEN out for the cleaner,
greener buses that will be operating in Liverpool city centre from
May 2012. These new hybrid buses are quieter, cleaner and more
fuel efficient. They can reduce emissions of local air pollutants
and CO2 by at least 30% compared to conventional vehicles.
£1.2million was made available through the Department for
Transport's (DfT) £30million Green Bus Fund, which has supported a
fleet of 13 new eco-friendly buses for the region.
Operators Cumfybus Ltd worked with Merseytravel on the bid and will
operate the low carbon emission buses across Liverpool city centre's
'City Link' routes – the C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5 services.
Councillor Mark Dowd, chair of Merseytravel, said:- "This is
one of the ways in which we are supporting more sustainable
transport in the region. These new buses will help to reduce CO2
emissions, support improving air quality in the city centre, and be
more fuel efficient."
Jim Barclay, interim chief
executive of Merseytravel, said:- "We are committed to
supporting greener transport and to providing cleaner air and a
healthier environment for Merseyside and complements the sustainable
biofuel and electric services we are also involved in."
Penny Lyon, director of Cumfybus, added:- "We were pleased to
have been selected as one of only 20 operators in the country to
have benefited from this grant and we look forward to running these
buses around the city centre."
The fund enabled bus operators and councils in every region across
England to fund the up-front additional costs of buying low carbon
buses. As more low carbon buses are produced and sold, costs are
expected to fall and hopefully more will be deployed on the roads.
This aim is to encourage the introduction of new bus technology and
stimulate the market for low carbon buses, an industry in which the
UK is a world leader
Merseytravel has also recently been supported by Arriva's successful bid to the
3rd round of the Green Bus Fund with 33 hybrid double deckers now
planned for their cross-river services.
Police appeal for witnesses after
smash on Formby bypass
ON Friday, 18 May 2012,
three cars were involved in a collision which happened at about
9.00am near to the Hightown junction. Merseyside Police are
appealing for witnesses to the collision that involved a white Mini
Cabriolet, a silver Ford Focus and a white Peugeot van. Anyone with
information is asked to contact Merseyside Police on:- 0151 777
5402. |
