Having grown up in the 80’s with little access to nature, my first real introduction to bats came through my job at a local Wildlife Trust, where several colleagues were also volunteer bat carers. I was lucky enough to witness a rescued baby bat being carefully fed and groomed with a tiny paintbrush, it’s one of those moments that stays with you.

Since joining BCT, I have been genuinely blown away by the sheer breadth of impact – a large part down to the volunteer support from people across the UK that has helped BCT build a strong knowledge base on what is happening to UK bat populations. The depth of knowledge across the team, and the warmth with which everyone speaks about the local Bat Groups have been wonderful to witness.

Over the course of my 20 years in conservation fundraising I’ve had the privilege of working for some wonderful organisations, including local Wildlife Trusts, Woodland Trust and Butterfly Conservation. I have learned a lot in this time – the importance of storytelling, the art of matching a funder’s passion to a cause and maybe even how to entertain kids dressed as a giant badger (because fundraisers will do what fundraisers do) and I look forward to bringing that knowledge to my work here.

I live in Derbyshire, where I’m lucky enough to watch bats flitting about on summer evenings with my two children (aged 9 and 13). I also have three rabbits, three cats and a tortoise so there is rarely a quiet moment at home.

As I settle into my role over the coming months, I look forward to getting to know my local Bat Group and hearing firsthand about the incredible voluntary work undertaken by Bat Groups across the UK.

Head of Fundraising is a brand new role for BCT and I’ll be working closely with the team to shape it. My goal is to build the kind of deep, lasting connections with donors, trusts and foundations that generate the unrestricted income BCT needs to do its extraordinary work.

With warm wishes,

Isabel

Head of Fundraising, Bat Conservation Trust

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The event was a collaboration between the Leeds International African Arts Festival (LIAAF) and the National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP) at the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT), designed to help people “connect with nature” in a fun engaging way. LIAAF is an annual festival that celebrates African culture, art, music and innovation. This festival exists to support African and African diaspora artists, improve health and wellbeing through arts and provide learning and knowledge sharing opportunities. This year’s festival theme was “Connect with Nature”.

When events celebrating nature and people take place, nighttime wildlife such as bats often isn’t considered. This may be due to a range of reasons — from the practical challenges of organising outdoor activities after sunset and safety concerns, to persistent myths about bats and a general lack of awareness of the benefits and ecosystem services they provide.

However, to my surprise, one of our project participants, Ndidi Nkwopara, who is also one of the founders of LIAAF, shared her interest in organising and running a creative bat‑themed event at the festival this year. Magnus Gorny, NBMP Volunteer Engagement Officer, joined our discussions, and together we explored several ideas that could appeal to people in their community, irrespective of colour or culture.

We eventually decided to go ahead with block printing as a warm‑up activity, followed by an interactive talk about our flying furry friends — busting common misconceptions about bats, learning how to find and survey these amazing animals in your local area, and ending the evening with a thrilling bat walk.

More than 50 people flowed into the open barn with incredible enthusiasm — and for three full hours on a Saturday evening, the space buzzed with creativity, curiosity, and a whole lot of bat energy. Together, we block‑printed, drew, painted, busted bat myths, and tuned into the dinner‑party chatter of pipistrelles using bat detectors. While upcycling BCT tote bags with specially designed bat prints, everyone was also imprinting the stories of the Azagnyi fruit bat from Africa and Daubenton’s bat from the UK into their minds. Thanks, Magnus, for running block-printing session so successfully!

A moment that still echoes in my head: the loud applause after the short film showcasing Dr. Iroro Tanshi’s incredible community‑led conservation work on short‑tailed roundleaf bats in Nigeria. Truly inspiring.

However, for many people, bats can be scary, particularly for those who haven’t seen a bat before or don’t know anything about these animals. Considering the nocturnal nature of bats, this negative attitude isn’t surprising. You can see a similar trend across different cultures around the world. When you look at how bats are portrayed in these cultures, you often find that they are either celebrated or feared. The fear or negative attitude towards bats mostly comes from misconceptions or confusion about them. That’s why our myth‑busting session turned out to be such a valuable awareness activity.

Thanks to Kwaku Obuobisah, Finance and Operations Officer at BCT, for sharing the remarkable story of the 37 Military Hospital’s straw-coloured fruit bat colony in Ghana. One of the most famous bat legends in Ghana surrounds the large colony of straw-coloured fruit bats at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra. Local myth claims these bats arrived alongside a deceased chief from the Eastern Region, and the bats have remained there waiting for him to leave.

The excitement in the room was real — from the “Ohhh yeahh!” moments when a common pipistrelle appeared on the detector to the joyful jumps when someone spotted a bat in flight.

And the most memorable moment? A four‑year‑old on our late‑night bat walk asking, “Why are bats awake at night?” and ending with, “I think I like bats.” Moments like this remind me why we do what we do.

“Ink, echo and flight” was a great reminder of how events can shape people’s feelings through connection – something we are so proud to deliver with wholehearted commitment and passion. And at the heart of it all was this simple truth: when you help people emotionally connect with nature, they are far more likely to act for it.

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Moths are a fantastic way of introducing children to the natural world, as some of them are remarkably beautiful and can be easily caught in a humane moth trap.

You can see the gears in their minds turning as they envision a hawk moth soaring over their gardens. Additionally, holding the moths is often a new experience for them, fostering confidence and an understanding of how to handle living creatures.

This leads nicely on to bats, as many eat the moths, so building that link helps them understand how the food chain works at night. We often then get asked, “Well, what do the moths eat?” Fantastic, now we are discussing the best plants for the garden to attract moths. Will a pond help? Should I plant a tree? And so on!

It is a privilege to see kids especially working it all out and planning how they are going to make their garden more wildlife friendly, backed by parents of course, and a lovely project to do as a family. Enjoying sitting in the garden on an evening together watching the world slowly quieten down, and the night world slowly waking up is a fantastic thing.

In recent years, my business has taken people out on the river at night in canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards, mainly to see bats. On warm, clear nights, the bats often fly just a foot away from paddlers, giving us close encounters. Bat detectors let us listen to them, which is a popular topic of discussion. It’s also easy to see what the bats are feeding on as the river’s surface comes alive.

Bats aren’t the only thing we see at that time of the day, beaver, otter and owls have also been seen which really adds to the wonder of the secret evening world.

Children will respect what they care about, so getting them to feel a close relationship with Bats by having an up close experience and a little knowledge is a fantastic direction to head.

For more information about bat paddling visit our website (£10 per person from each purchased bat paddle is donated to the Bat Conservation Trust!).

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Sadly, the value of diversity that for me is so eloquently reflected in Maya Angelou’s words has been increasingly eroded both across ecosystems and human society. As a 58-year-old gay man, an ecologist and a second-generation migrant I have witnessed the devaluing of diversity along with a rise in prejudice. My most recent experience was while out shopping in a supermarket a few weeks ago, where a stranger felt the need to hurl abuse at me.

I have chosen to write this piece to mark Pride month but I did leave it until the end of the month before finally writing it. My hesitation comes from the knowledge that some people, just like that stranger, will feel the need to try to insult and demean me for it. Over the years, I have become hardened to those attacks and have a better understanding of why speaking up is so important. A young ecologist recently described me as a “pioneer in the ecology LGBTQ+ space” and I was slightly jarred by it because I have never thought of myself in that way. However, having reflected on it and discussed it with friends and colleagues, it is true to say that over the last 15 years or so I have tried to speak up on the topic of inclusivity whenever the opportunity has arisen. I will share some links to things I have written in the past at the bottom of this blog. I hope that by speaking out it has opened the door to possibility not just for other members of the LGBTQ+ community but for others too. Inclusivity is about everyone; the door to taking part in bat conservation needs to be open to all.

The question many will ask is what does this have to do with bats and bat conservation? I could be crude and quote the line in by Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald’s “British Bats” written in 1949 where he states that: “Homosexuality is common in the spring in all species, and, since the males are in full possession of their powers, I suspect throughout the summer...I have even seen homosexuality between Natterer’s and Daubenton’s bats (Myotis nattereri and M. daubentonii).” But that is not what this is about, it matters because we want everyone to have the opportunity to get involved in bat conservation and to do so without having to hide any part of themselves. There is plenty of evidence to indicate that when people can be fully themselves, they bring more energy, ideas, and opinions that helps to enrich how we approach conservation.

Shame and fear are things that prevent many people from being open about aspects of who they are or how they identify which can lead to people excluding themselves from getting involved in conservation. Covering aspects of who you are can be exhausting and demoralising, I know because I have experience of it. For significant parts of my career, mainly while working abroad, I felt the need to hide my sexuality due to both perceived and real dangers, particularly while working in places where prejudice was embedded in legal systems and society. As a community of bat conservationists we should be working to be as inclusive as possible and removing those barriers is vital because it ultimately benefits us all. Being open about your identity, thoughts and feelings brings the added benefit of improving wellbeing too.

So here are four simple steps that anyone can take to being more inclusive:

• Never assume someone’s gender, sexuality, or family structure based on their appearance.

• Don’t default to thinking everyone is heterosexual. For example, use the term partner rather than presuming the gender of someone’s significant other.

• Don’t assume that someone who has shared their identity wants to talk about their sexuality or gender and don’t presume they speak for the whole LGBTQ+ community.

• Respect people’s pronouns.

A culture of mutual respect is one that we champion at Bat Conservation Trust. We want everyone to feel welcomed and reject any form of exclusion and discrimination not just based on sexuality but also age, gender, physical/mental ability, nationality, race or any other characteristics. There is a role for everyone in bat conservation.

One of our bat conservation challenges on the communication front is that bats are often lumped together disregarding the uniqueness of each of our 18 resident bat species. We want to embrace and celebrate the uniqueness of the species we are working to protect but also want to acknowledge the uniqueness of everyone involved in their conservation.

Explore other articles I wrote here:

An Interview with Joe Nunez-Mino (2017)

Strength in Diversity – Dr Joe Nunez-Mino (2019)

Ecology needs all of us (2022)

Joe Nunez-Mino (500 queer scientists)

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The Roots of Rewild at Heart

Rewild at Heart was born out of a lifelong love for nature, and wanting to contribute in the best way we know how.

I started reading about rewilding in 2023 and it quickly became my passion, from always having had a love for wildlife but also always feeling our British countryside was depleted of wildlife and something was missing.

One night over the campfire on one of our camping trips, my friend Paul & I came up with an idea to pool our efforts and skills into a new business, and Rewild at Heart was born!

Paul uses his woodwork expertise to create bug hotels and wildlife habitats people can use to help their local wildlife, and I use my design and e-commerce background to create embroidered apparel that funds conservation.

Fashion with a Purpose

Our products do more than just look good; they do good. By using organic cotton, recycled materials, sustainably-sourced wood and eco-friendly threads (as applicable), we ensure our footprint is light, but our impact is as big as it can be. We’ve been partnering up with a number of charities where 10% of the sale price of my designs is donated directly to relevant conservation causes.

Why Bats?

We love bats! They’re mysterious and cute, and they’re vital indicators of a healthy environment.

The grey long-eared bat was the first new design I added after our original embroidery launch in September 2025, and it quickly became our most popular design, overtaking even the beaver and badger! Partnering with BCT was a natural choice - their tireless work in monitoring and protecting UK bat populations is something we are incredibly proud to support, and now our fan-favourite design is helping to fund that vital work.

How You Can Help

10% of the sale price from our bat-themed collection - including not only our ever-popular grey long-eared bat design, but also the new pipistrelle & fruit bat patterns - will be donated directly to the Bat Conservation Trust. Let’s keep our night skies wild!

Shop our bat collection here

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These extraordinary creatures are enormous, like small cats wrapped in leathery wings, and appear utterly unbothered by the city around them.

As a child, I would see them at dusk as they would fill the sky along the Yarra River, travelling as far as the fruit orchards of central Victoria for the night’s feed.

I was completely captivated by these creatures as much as I was by the leaf skeletons left behind as leaf litter rotted away in our garden.

I now take my own young family out to watch bats in the UK and on holiday in places like Lisbon, where you can spot bats in the middle of the city.

When I came to the UK 20 years ago, and eventually trained in garden design at Capel Manor College, I finished my final classroom sessions in what turned out to be the months just before the world went into lockdown. I then set out to make sustainability and biodiversity with style the focus of my work in garden designs.

Working with the Bat Conservation Trust on this project brought all of that childhood fascination rushing back, but reframed around Britain’s own remarkable bat species.

I knew the garden could have a second act long after we are tucked up indoors at night, so the chance to share this message with the international audience of garden lovers at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show was one I had to seize. We are used to planting for pollinators, but this idea takes that thinking one step up the food chain.

The plants that matter most

The dark and moody Nocturnal Garden is my ode to the UK’s bats. Its form is black, and shaped like a bat’s wing.

It is built around a simple premise: bats eat insects, insects need plants, so plants are a foundation of bat conservation. We’ve developed a full downloadable plant list, but if I had to name just three that anyone could grow to make a difference, they would be these.

Night-scented stock is a joy to have at home. It makes sitting out on a summer’s evening with a nice glass of something a joy. It’s relatively easy to grow, as are most of the plants in the Nocturnal Garden.

Then foxgloves. This is often a wind-blown arriviste. Sometimes found nestled against fences or fallen trees and stumps, it’s easy and striking and bees love it too. I am taken by all the new hues, but I do really love the vibrant pink of the species.

Third, ivy. I know it divides opinion, but ivy in flower is one of the most insect-rich plants you can have in a British garden over winter. The late-season nectar supports a cascade of invertebrate life that bats depend on well into October and November. Leave some be and you will also save your own time and energy that would otherwise be spent needlessly pulling it out.

If you have a window box with some shelter, these will grow there, as they will in a park or large garden. This garden is an invitation to all to plant a few bits and pieces that help feed the invertebrates that help to feed bats.

More than planting

A scrying pool that reflects the bright future of bats in the UK is the water element of the garden. Plants are only part of the story. This is still and relatively shallow, showing you how an easy-to-clean water feature can support the invertebrate life cycle that supports bats. This also taps into folk elements of the British nature-focused tradition. We can all do with focusing and reflecting on what’s to come and how we can shape the future. This gentle pool hopefully encourages that.

Dark-sky standard lighting matters to bats. So I am working with dark sky specialist, Hudson Lighting, for the garden. Visitors in the evening will see low-level lighting and we will be sure to capture images for those who are not at the evening events. We’re talking less lighting and light down, rather than uplighting. As a reader of this magazine, you will know that this helps support the full life cycle of invertebrates.

The timber used in the rear fence will be repurposed into bat boxes after the show, so even the boundary structure will have a second life to support bat conservation.

A benevolent bat mother spirit

I include original art in all my gardens, and for this, I commissioned Dark Amber from emerging British artist, Tach Pollard. I first spotted Tach’s small-scale sculptures in hawthorn root and asked him to carve at the largest scale he has worked at. He has brought his folkloric spirit to the Nocturnal Garden with a sculpture in reclaimed cedar that stands over 4m high and watches over the garden as a mother bat does her pup.

Dark Amber is available to purchase – a symbol of your support for BCT and bat conservation could live on in your very own garden.

See you at Chelsea!

The Bat Conservation Trust’s Nocturnal Garden is at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 19–23 May 2026. You can learn more about the garden and download the plant list here.

Thank you to Project Giving Back for sponsoring the Nocturnal Garden.

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The intense fascination began when I beheld the tiny body of an injured pipistrelle bat ardently drinking water from a milk bottle top, in the hands of my dad. His first solo rescue as a licensed volunteer rehabilitator. My dad gently held out its fragile wings for me to see the bones and explained that they were like human hands and excitedly informed me that the Greek for bat was Chiroptera, which translates as ‘hand-wing.’

The bat then gobbled a dried mealworm voraciously and stayed calm whilst my dad removed some ticks from its fur. The tiny being was placed on an aerated, tea towel lined shoebox to rest overnight. I begged for the box to be placed in my bedroom and my dad agreed, my mum read me pages of bat facts and I slept soundly…until the scratching began from within the box. Sensing tiny movements and scuffles, I smiled, unperturbed, it was a sign that perhaps the bat was recovering, natural instincts kicking in a little.

I slept on, went to school, did my homework, ate dinner; all the while waiting anxiously for a blackberry-stained Spring dusk. The moment arrived – after a couple of evenings watching in delighted applause as the bat flew around our kitchen – we drove to the spot where the bat had been grounded. We spotted three or four bats in flight and a whoop of joy bubbled up inside. The sight of them was exhilarating, akin to a broad gust of wind on a tired body, enlivening it with the energy of a natural tonic. It was such a perfectly still evening.

The lid was removed from the shoebox, and we waited as our now loved companion, flexed his wings and whilst I turned my head, all too briefly, flew away. It was both a thrilling and desolate moment, I would miss it so much.

Over the years I watched many bats pass through our home, many drives to release points and even, the intense sadness when one didn’t make it. Each bat taught me a great deal about life, death, wonder and acceptance.

The most special rescues were the females. The precious life givers to one single pup (occasionally, twins) each year. I was more anxious for their lives as so much depended on them, the fragility of a population, the thriving of the species. Yes, my autistic brain would fly to the superlative, always. Maternity roosts are such a fine example of female camaraderie, a gathering of mothers birthing and rearing their young, together. No isolation, no figuring it out alone.

My mum, who supported women postnatally when we were young and is still passionate about maternal care, is constantly saying that if women lived in a support system like female bats do, well, it would be defiantly interesting. My, more scientific brain, charted it, figuring in biological and social differences, but I felt there was a nugget of truth in her eagerness to figure out some of the challenges and difficulties facing humanity.

There is so much to learn from bats though, much more than anatomy or behaviour, but their community, social bonding, and instinct to protect and nurture are acute and informative lessons. Bats have always had a bad reputation from the media and film industries, it’s way past time to look beyond these damaging archetypes to love and respect our only, true, dynamic, and magnificent flying mammal.

A Wild Child’s Guide to Nature at Night by Dara McAnulty, illustrated by Barry Falls, is published by Macmillan Children’s Books.

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The team gave advice on how to safely put the bat in a box and care for it until the ship returned to shore. However, by the time the call ended the bat flew off from the boat and wasn’t seen again.

The next day, Niall received a message from his dad who was onboard another ship in the North Sea, 44 nautical miles away, to say that a bat had also been spotted on his ship! Niall hoped the bat on his dads’ ship was the same bat, which would mean it was still alive and well.

However, on that same day, the National Bat Helpline received two more calls about bats onboard different ships or oil rigs in the North Sea! This means it was likely that a Nathusius’ pipistrelle migration was underway. This species is known to fly long-distances from the UK to mainland Europe, sometimes as far as Russia - see the map below! You can learn more about this fantastic behaviour here.

Niall and his dad are rooting for their ‘wee Norwegian bat flying home after an adventure’.

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My goal is to raise awareness about Scotland’s remarkable natural landscapes, celebrate their stunning beauty, and contribute to the conservation of its wildlife, engaging with individuals and communities along the way.

Firstly, I decided to raise money for The Bat Conservation Trust, which is committed to protecting bats and their habitats. I will be traversing many of these charming bat habitats, celebrating their existence and highlighting the importance of protecting and maintaining quiet, safe spaces for all wildlife. I wish to quietly and gently celebrate our wildlife without causing a loud disturbance, as they would prefer it that way, with a peaceful heart.

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Like many, I turn to the landscape for solace, for peace and, as an artist, for inspiration.

My fellow musicians and I will strive to communicate the importance of preserving these breathtaking landscapes, cherishing their quiet and calm, reducing metal while enhancing wildlife, linking to the timeless rugged mountains and the changing seasons found in the peat, bog, and among the leaves of the trees, which contribute to Scotland’s distinctiveness.

We will share stories through song about the experiences I encounter and also play some on-the-spot musical improvisations with audience participation! Maybe a song about a bat or a bothy mouse?

I will also be raising awareness of what a wonderful job the Mountain Bothies Association do. These are volunteers who look after bothies/shelters for our use, and the bats like them too!. Brown dog and I will be incredibly thankful for their shelter on the way, allowing us to rest during our journey and stretch our legs after being in the tent! These bothies/shelters provide a haven for people in the hills during bad weather and offer a place to rest tired feet! They are remarkable spots, with doors left open for those who love to walk in the often remote landscape. We must advocate for the right to roam and the availability of open shelters in our mountainous terrain. Let’s continue to walk freely and utilise mountain bothies, which keep their doors open for both us humans and the countryside and wildlife to thrive.

Please, join me and support me anyway you can, on this journey as I make my way through Scotland, with Brown dog, on foot and paw to celebrate, honour and marvel at what we still possess, so that together we can raise our voices to celebrate, cherish and keep safe the natural beauty that we hold so dear.

You can find out more about Matilda’s music and other projects here. Follow Matilda’s live updates on her Facebook page.

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It's about the reality of life as a 'bat worker' and ecological consultant: "The good, the bad and the absurd!". There is more to working with wildlife than many people realise. The book is intended for the general reader and anyone with an interest in wildlife, and (obviously) other bat workers. I hope people will find it interesting, enlightening and entertaining, and I hope other bat workers will find that they can relate to many of the stories.

What inspired you to write this book?

Throughout the years of making house calls, almost every time the owners opened the front door they would then say, "Sorry about the mess", whether or not there was actually any 'mess'. So I just got into the habit of replying, "Oh dont worry, I've seen mess!"... and then I would add, "I've seen all sorts, [which was true] and one day I'm goign to write a book!" It was meant as a joke but then as I thought about retiring, I thought, why not? So I did.

You’ve been involved in bat conservation for nearly 40 years. I’m sure you have a lot more stories up your sleeve! Did you have to be quite ruthless in which stories made the cut?

Not for many of the chapters, but yes when it came to "Meet the owners".. there were soooo many people that I could have written about, and would have liked to have written about, but it would have been too many.

What was the writing process like?

Easy in some places and harder in others. Once I had the chapter headings, that made the process easier and I could concentrate on those themes.

Without spoiling, do you have a favourite chapter?

I think I had most fun with 'Oh crap!', and talking about poo and other field signs. I think all mammal ecologists enjoy talking about the toilet habits of their subjects!

The book is incredibly entertaining but is there a ‘serious’ ‘take-home message’ you’d like to leave readers with?

Yes, there are some serious bits to the book. Firstly, we have to empathise with roost owners. Not everyone likes bats and some people find them truly distressing.

Secondly, there is the very real negative impact that bat consultancy can have on private home owners these days. I preferred the pragmatic approach that we were allowed to take with roosts in the early days, and it frequently embarrassed me that I was required to carry out more survey work than I felt was necessary in many cases, just to tick various boxes. I would have preferred to have done less, to have charged the clients less money, and to have achieved good outcomes without the aggravation and hostility! I have only hinted at this in the book because there was a lot more that was upbeat and positive.

You can find out more about this book and purchase it here.

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Next … a quick update on my training.

Around week 21 of a 26 week training programme, things got a bit scary! Time seemed to be speeding up and my legs slowing down. Here is a video of me, training in the rain:

I’ve got to that stage (apparently everyone goes through it) when I’m convinced I won’t finish. To counteract this I have listed all my fears and written possible solutions next to them. I read and reread this whenever I feel those nagging doubts creeping in.

My training seems to be roughly on schedule, if I can’t do exactly what’s on the plan I try to do something else that seems equivalent, for example there was one week I didn’t do much running but did lots of mountain biking instead.

According to my watch, my base fitness has increased from 40 in January to 105 now. I have no real idea exactly what this means but it somehow felt special to score 100.

There is one exception to training and an area I haven’t really succeeded with; strength training! I KNOW I SHOULD do it. Everyone says it’s very important but I just can’t muster any excitement or enthusiasm for lunges, squats and planks. It’s nagging away at the back of my mind that I’m probably going to regret this especially later in the run.

So far I have been extremely lucky avoiding injuries, even my toe nails are still attached! I have had a couple of falls. The first fall left me a bit shaken and bruised, the second left me with mucky hands and filthy knees. Fingers crossed my luck holds.

Last Saturday, I did a tough 20 mile walk which included a local mountain (Cheviot) and a pretty high hill (Hedgehope). It was an organised event called the Chevy Chase.
My lovely cousin came with me.

A couple of weeks ago I did my longest ever training run - 37 miles! It’s all downhill from now until the 18 July which is less than two weeks away!

My legs are fine but my shoulder and neck are suffering 🙁. Who thought running would be a pain in the neck ?!

Well I’ll sign off for now.

Over and out from the Creaky Old Bat.

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We have been working with Steve Roe in his role as a professional ecologist for many years now, so when we were approached to sponsor the BatChat podcast we were excited for the opportunity. It aligns perfectly with Wildcare’s mission to support ecologists and conservation. Bats play a crucial role in our ecosystems, and we believe raising awareness through engaging discussions is a fantastic way to highlight their importance.

We have just found out we have had over 100,000 downloads, what would your advice be for anyone who has not listen to the podcast yet?

We’re not surprised that the podcast has gained so much popularity. If you’re into bat conservation in any capacity, as an ecologist, nature lover, or just curious to learn more about these unique species then we highly recommend a listen. There’s so many inspiring stories from all around the UK, so start with a topic or location that catches your eye and you’ll be hooked!

The BatChat podcast seeks to celebrate all the people involved in bat conservation in all the different ways. Have you got a favourite episode? Or who would you like featured in the future?

Season 5 Episode 5: Boathouse to Bat House, which features the Hurcott Bat Project really stood out for us at Wildcare. Cody Levine approached us in 2020 with his plans for the old boat house and we were happy to support the conservation project by supplying the long list of bat boxes that were needed. It was wonderful to hear that, even in a short space of time, the project was a great success. (We have a blog post on the collaboration here).

Shirley Thompson featured in our first ever BatChat podcast episode, an amazing figure from within the bat conservation world who turned 90 last year and continues to contribute to bat conservation. Who has inspired your career and why?

Celebrating the nonagenarians, the person who has inspired me most, without a doubt, is David Attenborough. As someone interested in all aspects of natural history; growing up watching his BBC ‘Life’ series following intimate stories of animals and plants around our planet, from the tiniest springtails to the alien-like fossils of the Cambrian era, was endlessly fascinating. In particular, watching the timelapses of brambles growing and a carpet of bluebells blooming have always stuck with me, as well as the tight shot of his mouth while sampling the nectar from a honeypot ant.

The podcast also seeks to share those special bat conservation moments. Can you share your most memorable bat conservation moment?

I always remember the first time I experience the lives of bats in a new way. The first time using a bat detector and being able to listen in on their previously secret conversations. The first time using a bat detector with a live spectrogram and having those conversations visualised like a transcript– not long after I joined Wildcare and during the pandemic. Most recently, the first time using a thermal imager, watching a Daubie (aka Daubenton’s bat) peacefully flitting across the surface of a reservoir – it’s little, hot body standing out so clearly against the cool water of early Autumn. (Watch, with audio!)

If you had any advice for someone entering the bat conservation world what would that be?

Get involved in practical fieldwork as much as possible! Volunteering with local bat groups, attending bat walks and gaining hands-on experience with surveys. The bat community is full of passionate, knowledgeable people, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and learn from those around you.

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The canal is a fantastic asset for both wildlife and people. Despite the rain there were plenty of people using it; on bikes, on foot, on mobility scooters, pushing buggies, feeding swans and walking dogs. It’s great to be able to travel for miles, away from the noise, danger and fumes of traffic and to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the more natural environment the canal provides.

I also enjoyed reliving memories of bat walks and bat surveys I’d been involved in along the canal when I worked for the Bat Conservation Trust.

My long run was rather soggy and grey but since then the weather has improved greatly and there is a definite feeling that spring has arrived.

I haven’t spotted any flying bats yet but I’m sure it won’t be long before I do. I have been seeing little clouds of insects on my runs. I’m optimistic that any hungry bats coming out of hibernation will find some tasty “bat snacks” and be able to build up their energy reserves.

It’s very important now for the female bats to eat well so that they can get pregnant and grow a healthy baby bat.

I am also trying to eat well, so I can keep my body strong and healthy (I am much to old for any of that pregnancy lark!)

Next months training will be a gradual build up to a long run of 24 miles (almost a marathon).

For everyone who has already donated “Thank you”, your donations help the Bat Conservation Trust continue their work to encourage “a world rich in wildlife where people and bats thrive together”.

If you haven’t donated please do, it’s easy, just follow the link to the Just Giving page and remember, what we do to help bats makes the world better for birds, bees and butterflies and makes it more beautiful and healthy for people too.

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Unfortunately, when any of them talk about it, they choose not to mention key facts that undermine this argument. Is this because they don’t know them (surely that can’t be the case?) or because they choose not to share them as they don’t support their rhetoric?

If the current planning system had been applied effectively there would have been no need for the £100 million bat tunnel to be built. The first principle of the mitigation hierarchy is to avoid negative impacts completely. The government and HS2 chose not to complete a strategic environmental assessment – if that had been undertaken they could have fully assessed the impacts. It could have identified viable alternatives that could have avoided significant expenditure and delay. No bat tunnel, no irreplaceable ancient woodland destroyed, massive costs eliminated.

Ironically the Planning and Infrastructure Bill makes no reference to the mitigation hierarchy. So the crucial tool that could have prevented the bat tunnel that so obsesses politicians and the media, is not in the Bill….

This is just one example where rhetoric does not match reality. Bats and other wildlife have been deemed blockers of housing development, again accompanied by statements that are just not true. Another example is the distinguished jumping spider (yes that really is its official name!) at Ebbsfleet. Keir Starmer declared that 15,000 new homes had been blocked by the discovery of the spider. Not true. The majority of the homes are going ahead but 1,300 were proposed for development on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), but the jumping spider is not found in the area that was proposed for development (you can read more here).

In her presentation of the Bill on Monday, Angela Rayner said that the Bill is the way forward for nature and development while “stopping the pointless pitting of nature against development”. I wholeheartedly support her second statement and would ask that she and her colleagues set a good example on this.

She also states that she wants a ‘win win’ for nature and development. Again, on that we align.

But the Bill in its current form will not be a win for nature, for developers or for society at large. We urge the government to put forward amendments to address the following concerns:

• Undermining of the mitigation hierarchy – Developers will no longer be required to avoid harm where possible.

• Potentially skipping site-based surveys – Bats are site-loyal species, and losing these surveys will make their protection almost impossible. It will also impact ancient trees and other site-loyal species such as hazel dormice. Their loss cannot be compensated for and constitutes an erosion of our natural heritage.

• A 'pay-to-destroy' system – A new Nature Restoration Fund would allow developers to bypass legal protections with no clear benefit for nature recovery.

• More power to ministers, less scrutiny – the current and future Environment Secretaries could change protections at will, and communities will have fewer rights to challenge bad planning decisions.

We have been and will continue to work constructively

with Defra, MHCLG and Natural England, but urge Ministers and MPs to listen to the overwhelming concerns of the environment sector and indeed the general public.

Do keep an eye on the BCT news page for the latest updates on the Bill and please join BCT’s campaign email list to receive updates in your in box .

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Hello, my name is Anne Youngman. I worked as the Scottish Officer for the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) for 15 years.

This year, I have signed up to do a 105 km ultra-marathon (along the St Cuthbert’s Way) as a fundraiser for BCT.

The event starts at midnight on 19 July at Melrose in the Scottish Borders. Participants then have 19.5 hours to reach Lindisfarne on the Northumbrian Coast. By then, I will have climbed over 8000 feet, plodged through peat bogs, marched along Roman roads and possibly splashed away across a causeway.

Donate here

What made me offer to run an ultra-marathon for the Bat Conservation Trust?

Where do I start …...

Firstly, bat conservation is a cause dear to my heart. I have been interested in bats since I was a student and a wonderful lecture by Bob Stebbings really inspired me. (I remember the lecture now but can’t remember this mornings “Wordle”!)

Then, I met my first bat, a sleepy brown long-eared bat, which as I held it, unfurled its ears, wriggled them, opened its eyes and looked straight into mine. It was love at first bat!

As a scientist, I think I’m expected to say things like “I got fascinated by bats because of their amazing echolocation system” or “Hearing bat calls on a detector was like music to my ears” or “I wanted to know how such a tiny creature could live so long” (at the moment the record appears to be held by a 41-year-old male Brandt’s bat in Siberia”).

Well, all of these are true:

• I AM fascinated by how bats find their way around in the dark.

• I love hearing bat calls.

• I try to imagine what it must feel like to fly; to see with sound and with my eyes

BUT…

I believe what first hooked me was a misguided maternal instinct. As I held that tiny bat in my hand and it looked right back at me, I could not help thinking how perfect it was, how tiny and vulnerable and absolutely beautiful.

I was hooked.

The more I learned about bats the more fascinated I became. My work, firstly with the Nature Conservancy Council, (later to become Scottish Natural Heritage) and then more recently with the Bat Conservation Trust took me on lots of batty adventures and helped me meet all sorts of different people with varying attitudes to bats.

Why run an ultra-marathon?

I retired from the Bat Conservation Trust in 2017 but still want to do my bit for bats by helping BCT in its work.

Also, since retiring, I wanted to get fit. I started with couch to 5k which led to Parkruns, then a half marathon, a full marathon (inspired by Steve Parker), a 45 mile ultra, so this year it’s time for a 105k (64.2 miles) ultra.

I started a 26-week training plan back in January and by 1st March I’ll be at the end of week six.

I must stress that:

• I am not a natural athlete (did I mention this already?).

• I am definitely not built for speed.

• I don’t look good in Lycra.

BUT

I am one of the world’s best plodders. So with the Bat Conservation in mind, I will doggedly plod my way through 64+ miles trying not to whinge, grumble or complain.

What motivates me?

Bats tend to be the underdogs of the conservation world. They are very often “out of sight and out of mind” or when they do come to light it’s because of a shock horror story in the media where a dramatic headline is more important than a well-informed story.

It’s easy for people to be scared of what is unfamiliar but it’s not fair either to bats or people for these fears and misunderstandings to be dramatised. Bats can’t speak up for themselves, but the Bat Conservation Trust does an excellent job of speaking up for bats. They do this in the face of greater and greater demands on them (calls to their Helpline seem to go up exponentially every year) while at the same time limited or reduced funding for their work.

I may be biased, I worked for the Bat Conservation Trust for 15 years and I believe they do a wonderful job.

I feel the charity is a bit like the animals it seeks to protect i.e. small, beneficial, often overlooked and really deserving of our support.

This is my motivation to stick with my training and ask for sponsors.

So, please “Back the Creaky Old Bat”: sponsor my ultra efforts and help raise funds for the Bat Conservation Trust.

Donate towards Anne's ultra-marathon

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I moved to London from Yorkshire 7 years ago and whilst there are lots of things I loved about the city, access to nature was something I really missed. That’s why last year I made a decision to join London Bat Group and spend as much time as possible with the most interesting creatures the city has to offer!

The UK has 17 bat species and at least 10 of them have been recorded in London. Lining park hedgerows, or living in the cracks of walls, there’s huge diversity in these weird and wonderful creatures and they also provide many services to the ecosystem and ecology of our joint home.

After getting stuck in to doing some netting and surveys with London Bat Group, I found out about the Bat Conservation Trust “Nightwatch” project and saw it as an opportunity for myself to get more involved with bat work in London, but also as a chance to help other people also get that chance too.

I’m lucky in that I’ve got to work with bats before, both in Yorkshire and also in the Taita Hills in Kenya, but I know lots of people that have still never really seen them and even fear them. My mum was always scared of bats when I was a kid and even now, I hear lots of misconceptions associated with these little winged legends. I’m lucky in that I grew up in a fairly rural area and had lots of access to the outdoors when I was younger. But as a working class and trans person it’s not always been easy to feel welcome in more organised outdoor community spaces or with access to wildlife.

That’s why as part of the Nightwatch project I really wanted to focus some of my walks on ensuring that queer people were able to learn more about and access the nature on their city doorstep and debunking some of the fear around them. One of my guided walks was exclusively focused on the queer ecology of bats and another was debunking myths about bats and sharing some of their historic and literary associations with Halloween.

London can feel like a lonely and built-up space and I’ve really loved the Nightwatch Project as a way of finding more of the vibrant life that exists within the concrete. It’s also been a real joy to help my friends and wider community to connect with nature and with the nighttime. Across my walks we saw and heard multiple different species.

I’ll never get bored of identifying the different calls and it’s so joyous to see other people experience the same excitement for the first time. There’s something really magical about feeling able to tap in to nature so directly and connect with a system much bigger than yourself. I’m really excited to carry on the project in 2025 and to hopefully help more people in my communities get as much joy from bats as me.

We are currently fundraising to secure the future of this important project. Help us raise £14,000 by June 2025 so that NightWatch does not have to come to an end.

Please donate here

What is a Nightwatch local coordinator?

NightWatch is a Bat Conservation Trust’s community science survey helping urban locals discover the hidden world of night time nature living in their neighbourhoods.

We aim to break down barriers that prevent people - especially those from minority ethnic backgrounds and people with disabilities - from connecting with nature.

Local Coordinators are trained and supported to run bat events and NightWatch surveys with their communities, helping us with the on-the ground engagement so important for reaching communities often facing additional barriers to enjoying local wildlife. Local Coordinators reached almost 300 extra Londoners last year, running bat walks and collecting vital data about the city’s bats.

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After checking in, I chilled out in my room and read up on the programme for the day. Everything was handily available online so you would know exactly what was going on, where and when.

Evening bat walk

After dinner, having caught up with some members of staff, we went out for a bat walk with the Berks and South Bucks bat group. Although a bit chilly, it was a lovely clear evening as we walked around the grounds and lake. There was plenty of cheeky bat activity with pips flying all around the canopy. They move so fast and can even put Usain Bolt to shame! Overall, we had soprano pipistrelle, common pipistrelle, Daubenton’s bat and noctule. Although, over the years, they have recorded seven species of bats on the grounds!

Day 2: Saturday

After breakfast, there were the usual opening speech and an announcement of the Winner of the Pete Guest Award who was John Kaczanow. He had provided some amazing footage of bats, all around me, I could hear the sounds of the audience muttering oooooh or aaahhhhh and even laughter.

Talk: Landscaping for bats, biodiversity and people

This was an interesting talk with a breakout session, looking at ways of how to ensure new developments cater for wildlife. There was a bit about light spill. How very apt, particularly as I read a very recent article in The Guardian about Grand Designs celebrating its 25th year. Grand Designs tend to have massive houses with massive panes of glass. I hope they will fix the light spill from these so called grand homes! To me, a grand home is something that incorporates the environment around it, such as its neighbours, aka wildlife!

There was a piece around designing landscapes in response to climate change and how pests and diseases were surviving due to warmer winters. Did you know that there is a mosquito carrying a disease which is having an impact on blackbirds?

This conference had some surprisingly interesting facts and figures!

Keynote speaker

There was a fascinating talk post lunch by Dr Orly Razgour of University of Exeter. It was a thought provoking piece about how some bat species could either benefit or decline due to man-made climate change.

Then on we went to tea break! Although there were cakes and cookies during tea time, I was super impressed to find fruit as well!

Panel on ethical conservation hosted by Megan McCubbin

I must say, that Megan was is a very naturally talented individual, great listening and interviewing skills!

The panel talked about how Indigenous communities have been involved for thousands of years conserving their landscapes and how conservation needed to work with them and not lecture them. We’re the ones that need to look at our over consumption of natural resources.

We have to be careful standing in judgement of other countries, due to cultural differences, and the fact that the same opportunities aren’t available to them. However, OpenSource data allows those in countries who can’t afford it, to be able to publish research.

Vincent Wildlife Trust talked about connecting with local landowners and communities and how they rent properties where bats live. What a fantastic thing to do!

There was an interesting talk about Parachute or colonial science. This is where western countries get the data and don’t speak to the locals and write their reports and never feedback to the local people to help address the local issues. Funders ask for legacy planning, but never fund the ongoing conservation work. So conservationists are taking a different approach by collaborating with locals on how they want to do the conservation.

My take home from the afternoon talks was: Conservation and who organisations work with (locals), should be at the top!

Dinner and Ceilidh dancing

During dinner, we took part in some quizzes, which was super great fun! Then it was time for dancing. Ceelid what? Oh pronounced: ‘Cayley’. Basically, it’s Scottish dancing. I decided to give it ago.. and never sat down for the rest of the night. It was super addictive! I did struggle to walk back to the dorms afterwards!

Day 3: Sunday

After breakfast, there was another opportunity to purchase products and I got a doodle book, how inclusive for those who are neurodivergent.

Talk ‘seeing red’ - artificial lighting

Developers seem to have a habit of installing inappropriate lighting (boo) for horseshoe bats which are super sensitive to light. There’s a lesson here, councils need to get lights right first time round, not retrospectively. It makes it difficult for urban bat populations to survive. Red lighting has proved successful for Myotis species, but it’s not a solution for other species (goodness, bats are so fussy!). It’s not only bats that have been impacted, artificial light has been driving insect decline, drawing insects out into completely dark areas - not great for my local bats, as I live in London!

BCT are feeding into the Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) about using red lighting for priority corridors. Every council in England is expected to delivery their LNRS by March 2025 on how they intend to help nature recover. Well done to BCT!

BCT’s Wildlife Crime Project

I attended a break out session about wildlife crime. Mark Goulding, the project officer, explained how he assists the police with research and when necessary, attends court to provide evidence. He also works with the with National Wildlife Crime Unit. There was (sadly) some great examples of cases involving damage to bat roosts.

Insects and bats by Hannah Romanowski

Okay… here we go… climate change again! Some insects are benefiting and some are declining due to temperature rises and some are peaking earlier in the season. It’s all grim, isn’t it? But if we don’t admit the problem, we won’t be motivated enough to sign the petitions and go on those demonstration walks to the Houses of Parliament!

‘Silent Earth’

Apparently, there is a book called ‘Silent Earth’ which has shown signs that aerial hawkers (bats that catch insects in the air) are increasing. But a century ago populations were much higher than they are now. It also talks about other impacts such as light pollution, agriculture, wind farms.

Rothamstead research have been running traps since 1964. They use different traps, such as suction traps for aphids or light traps for moths. The long term trends relating to insects, such as moths (relating to bats specialising in bats) are declining, this includes woodland moths.

Barbastelle and road collisions

There was a fascinating talk about how increasing canopy cover decreased the height of flying barbastelles which meant this could increase the number of vehicle collision.

Wow! The amount of information I learned in a few days was phenomenal (including the cakes)! This conference was an amazing fun packed experience. If you’re on the fence about attending the next one, I would highly recommend it!

Thank you to the staff for making me feel so welcome.

Thank you to Naomi Webster, super star organiser.

How did you become involved with bats?

I first got into bats over 10 years ago when I started to volunteer with Sue Lonsdale at the Wildlife Trust. Back then she was running a project about soprano pipistrelles, along the Bradshaw Valley in Bolton. I also kept on bumping into Steve and Fiona Parker (from South Lancs Bat Group) at gigs and we always got chatting about bands and bats.  

I had always wanted to stay more involved than I had, but life, jobs, moving, kept getting in the way. When I moved to my current house a couple of years ago, there was enough money in my budget to buy a bat detector. I decided to put my bat detector to good use and took part in South Lancs Bat Group’s BATlas Project.

Did you always like bats and being around in nature?

I’ve always enjoyed being outside and taking part in BCT’s Sunset Survey and the Waterway Survey. It’s a great way to get outside in the fresh air with your bat detector, whether if it’s just a quick walk down to the local park or for a longer walk exploring a new area. It feels like you are also contributing to something worthwhile like science and nature.  

Apart from the joy of seeing bats, what else do you like about taking part in surveys?

As a biochemist, there is nothing that I enjoy more than starting to see a graph coming together for the Waterway Survey that I take part in. It’s only been two years and four surveys worth of data so far, but it’s still a nice feeling knowing that you are adding to our knowledge of bats; you can see your contribution to a long-term population study which is very exciting.

On a side note, my partner has always been intrigued by bats when she has gone camping, and she didn’t know detectors were really a thing. She has enjoyed coming out with me looking for bats and learning about them. Plus, as an accountant, she’s also enjoyed seeing the graphs associated with the Waterway Survey as well.

What would you say to someone who is perhaps intrigued by the idea of a bat survey, but hasn’t signed up for one yet?

Just do, you'll be amazed by the bats and also the other nocturnal animals that you will see along the way. You won't be disappointed - that’s a promise.

If you want to find out more about other volunteering opportunities visit this page.

During the Bats in Churches (BiC) Project, hundreds of churches were supported through advice, support, bat education and funding. We discovered that even small funds could make a big difference; churches who were experiencing mess in the church because of the bat roost were given new cleaning equipment, or new covers for artefacts and pews, for example.

St. Andrew, Field Dalling, in Norfolk was one such church who received new pew covers to protect their pews from the bat mess. They said:

New pew cover. (c) St. Andrew, Field Dalling

“You provided us with money for new and attractive covers for the most affected pews and the altar, to protect them from the remaining problem. All this was very worthwhile and helped us feel that someone out there was on our side!”

Inspired by the BiC project, we are excited to announce the launch of the Living Alongside Bats in Churches grant. The Bat Conservation Trust, Natural England, the Church of England, Churches Conservation Trust and Historic England have come together to offer support for small-scale solutions to places of worship who need help with their roost, for example, there may be an increased cleaning burden. Funded by Natural England, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, grants up to £1000 are available and will be used to fund small-scale solutions such as a seasonal professional cleaner, new pews, new cleaning equipment or protective measures for heritage items.

To receive the grant, the place of worship will need to hold a positive community engagement activity inspired by nature. Wildlife engagement activities help connect people to nature on their doorstep and encourage the community to interact with their local place of worship where they may not have done so before. During the BiC Project, many churches held bat inspired events and evenings and discovered what a brilliant attraction bats can be!

A real success story of a nature inspired community event was when the BiC Project supported St. Mary, Stevington, in Bedfordshire, when they held a nature weekend in 2022, ‘Stevington Goes Wild’. Here is what they had to say: 

“It was hot but there were such lovely shady spots in the churchyard, people decided to stay and enjoy the afternoon. It was laid back and relaxing and the activities were right for the occasion. An Owl man and his owls were a big attraction; the Wildlife Trust had some good activities; there were areas for making bug hotels; sowing seeds for edible plants to take home and an art area for various arty creations; the story reading was a great success and the refreshments - loads of delicious cakes and ice creams went down a treat. Two local environment groups came along with information and a couple of MSc students working on water quality of our River Ouse were with them. The church was able to promote the Big Butterfly Count which is taking place at the moment. A perfect day to be honest and wonderful to see the Church enjoyed and children happy to play and be together there. I have whittled on about it because I want to show you how much we and the village appreciated it and to thank you and the Project for making it possible. Not only was it a social occasion but it was the chance to welcome people into the church and show that we regard our natural environment as a priority and an opportunity to increase people's understanding of the natural world. Result!”

Applications for the Living Alongside Bats in Churches grant are now open to all places of worship in England. We will run the grant twice a year and encourage those who are not successful the first-time around to apply at the next available opportunity.

If you know of, or are a place of worship who would benefit from this grant, please see our website for more information.

by Eva Wild

In February of 2024, I raised £320 for the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) through cross stitch and here's how!

Firstly, why choose the Bat Conservation Trust to raise money for? BCT does amazing work in the protection of bats, work that often gets missed by other animal charities. Bats are often seen as these scary creatures – related to vampires and monsters – and despite my zine being called ‘Spooky Stitchings’, bats are anything but! They are amazing creatures that benefit the environment, they provide pest control, help to pollinate, disperse seeds and if nothing else, are pretty darn cute!

The BCT help to provide scientific evidence to aid conservation and secure and enhance bat populations.

So, how did I raise money for BCT? I created Spooky Stitchings, a digital cross stitch zine, with 5 unique cross stitch patterns based on the theme 'bats', from different cross stitch designers. This zine included information about all the designers, BCT and my own shop MonsterousDesigns.

What is a zine you might ask? A zine - pronounced ZEEN - comes from the word magazine and is a small collection of art, images etc. set around a theme and is meant to be easy to distribute and consume. My cross stitch zine was a collection of 5 cross stitch patterns, based on the theme 'bats', designed by different cross stitch artists.

Originally, the idea of Spooky Stitching didn't start as a zine but as a collaborative stitching box. I wanted to combine some of the things I love doing best with MonsterousDesigns, which is making patterns in collaboration with artists and making cross stitch kits.

However, every time I thought about the logistics of it, it just wasn't going to work at this time - if nothing else, I don't have the room to store everything!

Then I joined The Stitchers Collective, an amazing group of cross stitch pattern makers. The Stitchers Collective have been running both charity pattern bundles and have their own zine under Stitchy Goodness. Being part of this group made me think that I could do something similar and adapt my original collab stitching box into a collaborative zine.

With this, Spooky Stitchings came into being, a zine that I could use to raise money for charity and collaborate with different designs. Some issues of Spooky Stitchings will be there to raise money for charity, whereas other will be able to pay the designers for their hard work. If you would like to find out more about the zine and what's included, please check out my website here.

When it came to the physical creation of my zine, the first step was to get some designers involved. I posted on social media a sign up link, where anyone could join up if they had a way of creating patterns. You didn't have to be a known designer, just someone with a passion for it! Signups were open for 1 week and then after they closed I contacted 5 designers to get involved.

Whilst they set to work on making their patterns, I started designing the zine itself. I had a general idea of the layout I wanted and colour schemes and had already commissioned a set of logos to use. But it took months of fine tuning and getting the opinions of friends to get it to its final state.

Once I had all the patterns from the designers, I set to work making them into the easy read format I choose for my own designs and transferred them into the zine. Each design had 3 formats to choose from, so everyone could choose what worked best for them. And with some extra tweaks here and there, and the approval of the designers, the zine was finished.

The zine was available to buy between the 23rd February and 23rd March 2024. My initial goal for the zine was to raise £100, as I'd never done anything like this before. But everyone involved was so amazing and within the first day of sale, that £100 goal was smashed!

Over the next couple of weeks, more sale kept pouring in, right up until the last minute. Overall, we ended up raising £320 for the Bat Conservation Trust and I couldn't be more proud!

The zine was well received and the reviews were pouring in - here are a few of them!

*****

"The patterns are cute and colorful and you can feel the passion for bats and conservation w this zine! I think Odd Bat Out will be my first one to work on. Highly recommend! I use digital patterns and I had no trouble downloading or accessing the document. The seller is very responsive so if you do run into anything no doubt she will get it sorted!"

- Samantha

*****

"Ever since the words "bat zine" were announced I've been waiting impatiently for this zine and it does not disappoint. Amazing designs from amazing people. I only wish there were more!"

- Valerie

*****

"The patterns are wonderful and beautifully arranged together in zine form. Each pattern is presented in black and white and color and they’re easy to read. I’m excited to stitch all these bats!"

- Erin

The next Spooky Stitchings zine will be available in September 2024 with the theme Bones. If you're interested in the zine or being a designer, be sure to keep an eye out on my Instagram @monsterousdesigns and on my website here.

I also have lots of digital cross stitch patterns available on my Etsy shop - MonsterousDesigns - with many bat themed patterns and more in the works.

Never tried cross stitch before? Then no worries, as all my patterns are beginner friendly and come with an in-depth cross stitch guide to get you started. I also do limited launches of cross stitch kits, that include everything you could need to get started.