The North West Votes - No Winners Without Wildlife

WITH the UK now less than 2 years from a General Election, exclusive polling by Opinion Matters, commissioned by international wildlife charity Born Free, reveals a stark message to politicians from the North West:- "there will be no winners without wildlife." Research released recently serves as a much needed:- 'wake up call' to all political parties, suggesting that not only do the electorate care deeply about animal issues, but that they are thoroughly disillusioned with current legislative and policy failings.

Key among the findings is that 75% of those surveyed in the North West believe it is very or quite important the next UK Government phase-out the keeping of large animals, such as:- elephants, lions, tigers, giraffe and rhino, in zoos, wildlife parks and other captive facilities. This compelling statistic shows there is now a tide of public support for Born Free's founding principle on which the charity has campaigned for nearly 4 decades. Clearly, politicians and decision-makers can no longer afford to ignore those seeking to end the archaic, unethical, and damaging practice of keeping large animals in zoos.

Poll results also suggests respondents in the North West want transparent and robust assurances that their money is spent in ways that reflect their values and a lasting commitment to the preservation of the natural world. A resounding 89% of those asked declared it very or quite important that the next UK Government stops using public money for activities which damage nature and wildlife or cause wild animal welfare harms as part of its manifesto.

Other significant findings further highlight the strength of feeling among North West voters on a wide range of animal welfare and wildlife issues, by somewhat or totally agreeing with:-

►   84% of North West respondents agreed the next UK Government should introduce a ban on British hunters bringing:-'trophies' of endangered or vulnerable animals into the Britain.

►   82% of North West respondents agreed the next UK Government should tighten the rules on the trade in and keeping of exotic pets.

►   83% of North West respondents agreed the next UK Government should use its influence, via trade deals etc, to bring an end to overseas activities that involve animal cruelty such as the slaughter of dolphins in the Faroes.

The message is clear. From trophy hunting to the use of traps and snares, from the destruction of native flora and fauna to the keeping of wild animals in zoos and private homes, the welfare of wild animals and the protection of our natural environment have been constantly pushed down the political agenda, and the British public have had enough.

The polling data shows there is widespread public support for the raft of transformative changes to wildlife policy and legislation outlined in Born Free's UK Wildlife Conservation and Animal Welfare Manifesto, which is also released today.

This bold, compassionate and ambitious manifesto calls on all UK political parties and decision makers to prioritise wildlife protection and wild animal welfare. It highlights the catastrophic global crisis facing wildlife and biodiversity, and the fact that, despite numerous high profile Government commitments in recent years, the UK remains 1 of the world's most nature depleted countries.

Born Free is urging those across the political spectrum to respect the will of the British people and make firm, transparent, accountable and costed manifesto pledges to protect and restore our natural habitats, tackle wildlife crime, improve and guarantee the welfare of wild animals both free-living and in captivity, and end perverse funding initiatives that are harmful to animals and the environments on which we all rely.

Specifically, but by no means exhaustively, Born Free is calling on political parties to:-

►   Improve the regulation of zoos, and phase out the keeping of wild animals unsuited to captivity.

►   Ban the import of hunting trophies.

►   Ban the advertising of low welfare animal tourism activities abroad.

►   Strengthen the Hunting Act.

►   Protect wild animals from the exotic pet trade.

►   Eliminate the use of cruel snares and traps.

►   End the import and sale of animal fur in the UK, including for military use.

►   End the cruel and ineffective badger cull.

►   Use the UK's trading influence to help end the Faroe Island's grind.

The full list of the charity's priorities is outlined in Born Free's UK Wildlife Conservation and Animal Welfare Manifesto. By adopting these priorities, parties would be acknowledging the groundswell of public support for a:- 'nature and animal welfare 1st' approach to Government and policy-making. It would show British voters that their prospective leaders are not only listening but are willing to act.

Will Travers OBE, Born Free's Co-Founder and Executive President said:- "A healthy natural world is critical for our health and well being. Healthy wildlife and healthy ecosystems also play a huge part in limiting the effects of climate change and protecting us from future pandemics. We call on all political parties to recognise the importance of protecting and restoring wildlife and wild habitats and eliminating the negative impacts we have on the welfare of individual animals, by placing nature protection and animal welfare improvements at the heart of their manifesto commitments, and delivering on those commitments in the Parliamentary sessions that will follow. Nothing less will do."

Dr Mark Jones, Born Free's Head of Policy added:- "Practices in the UK such as trail hunting, the appropriation of huge tracts of land for the shooting of game birds and hares for sport, and the culling of badgers, result in animal destruction and suffering on a massive scale. Wild animals are traded and kept in zoos and private homes in ever increasing numbers. Wildlife crime continues to have devastating impacts on individual animals, wildlife habitats, and wider society. Far too little is being done to effectively protect and restore our natural fauna and flora or safeguard the welfare of wild animals."

Dominic Dyer, Born Free's British Wildlife Advocate and Policy Advisor, concluded:- "As Britain negotiates new trade agreements with countries around the world it's critically important that wildlife protection and animal welfare are key components of any negotiation process. In the case of the Faroe Islands, the public expect the Government to suspend the current free trade agreement until the brutal, merciless killing of large numbers of whales and dolphins finally ends."

Children's mental health programme extends reach to new areas of Liverpool

TACKLING the Blues mental health programme is now reaching children in new areas of the Liverpool City Region. The award-winning sport and arts-based education programme for children and young people, delivered by Edge Hill University, Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool, has secured 3 new partner Schools:-

►   Smithdown Primary School in L7;

►   Maghull High School;

►   St Andrew's C of E Primary School in Maghull.

The Tackling the Blues (TtB) team are exploring new and creative approaches to delivering the programme with Smithdown in recognition of the diverse communities the School serves, with a number of different 1st languages spoken by pupils.

Beth Kelly, Key Stage 1 and 2 teacher at Smithdown and associate tutor for education at Edge Hill, said:- "We want to support our children with emotional literacy so they feel confident and equipped to deal with a range of experiences and emotions if they arise. It's fantastic to see the children flourish through our work with Tackling the Blues; they have listened to teachers and children to devise bespoke sessions individual to each class in our School, tapping into current interests and ideas from the children."

To celebrate Children's Mental Health Week that was held between:- 6 February to 12 February 2023, student mentors from Edge Hill, have been leading special sessions at the 3 new Schools as well as with ongoing partner Schools St Joseph the Worker RC School and Westvale Primary School, in Kirkby.

Beth added:- "Mental health education for the next generation is vital in today's society and marking Children's Mental Health Week has opened up opportunities for further discussion and education around the topic."

In 1 activity, to illustrate this year's theme of:- 'Let's Connect,' children were encouraged to pass a string of wool from 1 friend to another and then on to another, to illustrate how our relationships and interactions are all interlinked.

Edge Hill programme leads Dr Helen O'Keeffe, from the Faculty of Education, and Andy Smith, Professor of Sport and Physical Activity, highlighted how important feeling connected is for children and young people. "Children and young people growing up now can find it very difficult to navigate the many different ways to connect with other people and that can often be a contributing factor to their overall mental health and wellbeing. This Children's Mental Health Week we have taken the opportunity to talk about the importance of connecting with others in a meaningful way, how we can draw strength from connections with a variety of different people and help others by reaching out when they may be feeling isolated."

Phil McClure, Tackling the Blues Project Co-Ordinator at Tate Liverpool, said:- "We're pleased to see the expansion of Tackling the Blues into more Schools and the success the engagement is having on the children's mental health literacy. The TtB sessions build confidence, communication skills and self esteem and Children's Mental Health Week is an opportunity to explore this, using the Tate collection as inspiration, to help the young people learn about the importance of recognising and expressing emotions."

Tackling the Blues supports children and young people aged:- 6 to 16, who are experiencing, or are at risk of developing, mental illness. There are now 40 student mentors delivering sessions in 16 Schools in the Liverpool City Region and West Lancashire including the 3 new Schools, with 780 children engaged each week.