Thank you for Tuppences for Toads

Life as a Common toad isn’t easy – these small amphibians face big challenges when returning to their breeding ponds every spring, and thousands of them are killed on roads as they migrate. Since the 1980s Toad Patrols of hard-working volunteers going out on damp evenings to rescue toads.  Froglife would like to thank these volunteers on behalf of the thousands of toads they save every year.

We launched Tuppence a Toad in October 2010 - a yearlong push of extra effort to spread the word about the plight of Common toads far and wide. Through your generous support, Tuppence a Toad has raised extra funds to help protect toads into the future.


Lots of your tuppences will be helping Common toads

With lots of help from our Friends and supporters, the Tuppence a Toad appeal has had some great outcomes:

• Over 1,000 people have been directly involved in our toad talks and events, including a Tucking in the Toads Pyjama Party, a giant toad-crossing installed in the centre of Peterborough for National Science and Engineering Week, An Evening at Toad Hall auction and dinner, a Big Saturday for families at The Manchester Museum, and a toad-themed evening with the Zoological Society of London featuring an exhibition of famous toads including Mr Toad, Frog and Toad and Gabriel from Bagpuss.
• Over 3 million people have been reached through our promotion and publicity about Toads on Roads and what they can do to help.
• Through engaging with audiences including families, artists, gardeners, land owners and students we have improved opinions about toads - from strange, warty creatures to vulnerable animals that are a valuable part of our natural heritage.
• With your help, we raised just over £13,500 through Tuppence a Toad, with approximately £4,600 of that set aside for a funding pot to help Toad Patrollers with materials to get out saving toads. 

Toad Patrollers can access free resources to help them help toads in 2012 by getting in touch with Liam Atherton on liam.atherton@froglife.org or 01733 558844. They can also access a special 15% discount off products from The Glow Company to help make sure they are visible on those dark roads next year!

Ongoing support for toads:

Although our big year of talking toads has come to an end, it won’t be the end of the efforts to keep fundraising, learning and protecting toads in bigger and better ways. The Tuppence a Toad appeal will remain open to raise the £4,000 needed every year to keep Toads on Roads going, and we are in a much better position to support toads and the volunteers that come to their rescue.

• The Froglife song has been created by lovely carnival band Zamba, it's downloadable from iTunes and Amazon with donations going to help toads.
• Ongoing coordination of the Toad Patrols, including insurance, mapping,
• New Froglife toad merchandising including lovely greetings cards designed through an illustration competition and ‘protect a toad’ gifts to keep fundraising.
• Beautiful new and improved toad ponds created in London and Glasgow to help local populations.
• The creation of educational materials and resources featuring toad mascots Widdy and Wigbert named through our competion last year to help us keep spreading the word about how toads need our help.
• A survey of planning departments and toad protection measures across the UK, plus a review of the data from Toad Patrollers leading to new on-the-ground projects and publications in 2012 to increase protection for toads.
• Research and new on the ground projects to help inform best practice for toad conservation.

On behalf of all the Froglife team, Widdy and Wigbert and all the toads, I would like to thank you for your generous support and involvement with Tuppence a Toad – whether you sponsored someone, donated tuppences, came to an event, entered a competition or provided support through your business.

You can see some of the pictures from Tuppence a Toad on Froglife's Facebook Page here.

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Photo: Laura Brady