Kathy and Amy’s big swim for toads!

Froglife CEO Kathy Wormald and young volunteer Amy Hamlett will be swimming 6,000 metres for the Tuppence a Toad campaign! The campaign aims to raise small change to make a difference for these little amphibains, who are killed in their thousands trying to cross roads towards their breeding ponds every spring. Lucky toads are saved by Toad Patrol volunteers carrying them to safety – over 70,000 toads were rescued in 2010. Froglife’s camapign aims to save more toads and better support these important volunteers.

Kathy and Amy will be swimming 3,000 metres each to make the 6K total - approximately how long the line of toads saved in 2010 would be if they sat end to end! The swim will take place on Monday 21st February at Stanground School near Peterborough.

The ladies are looking forward to their challenge, although they are perhaps a little nervous. “I do swim regularly, but I certainly never swim anywhere near the 166 lengths required for this sponsored swim,” said Kathy. “Actually the most lengths I have managed so far is 50! I’m looking forward to a well earned hot shower and a glass of wine when I finish!”

Amy, daughter of Froglife’s finance guru Melanie, didn’t take much persuading to swim for toads! Swimming has always been a real passion for the 12 year old, who currently swims around three hours a week in and out of school. “I am really looking forward to it and I’m really pleased that I can do something I love to help toads,” said Amy.

Kathy explains why such efforts are important: “Froglife is very successful at fundraising for specific projects but it is always difficult to fundraise for our day to day activities such as providing all those dedicated toad patrollers with sufficient advice and support.”

“We also manage a very busy information service which becomes particularly hectic over the Spring/Summer months hence requiring considerable staff time,” Kathy adds. “We are therefore always looking for ways in which we can fundraise in order to continue offering these services.”

You can sponsor Kathy and Amy here via Virgin Money Giving, and find out more about the Tuppence a Toad campaign here.

North Lanarkshire Living Water hits the ground hopping!

Following its massive success in London and Glasgow, the Living Water Project has leapt into North Lanarkshire to continue Froglife’s important work creating and restoring ponds in the UK.

The Living Water Project is just one of the ways that Froglife is helping to combat the decline of ponds and amphibians in the UK. With an emphasis on community involvement, it is hoped that this project will kick start local communities to care for ponds and green spaces, providing habitats for amphibians and reptiles long into the future.

“This has been an exciting start for North Lanarkshire Living Water,” says Eilidh Spence, Glasgow Living Water Project Officer. “We hope that by replicating the success of the London and Glasgow projects, we will encourage other local councils to get on board and continue to roll out the project across the UK.”

The Glasgow project has created numerous ponds across the city, including the one in the photo at Provan Hall Marsh.

In their first two weeks, Froglife’s new North Lanarkshire team have created four ponds in an area that will provide an invaluable resource for amphibians for years to come.

New recruit Liam Atherton is buzzing about his role as North Lanarkshire Living Water Field Worker. “With more pond creation planned for the coming months, there will be plenty of opportunities for willing volunteers to get their hands dirty! We will also shortly be looking for people to get involved in amphibian and reptile surveys,” added Liam.

All upcoming events are advertised on Froglife’s website which is updated regularly – you can see what’s on here. Alternatively, if you want to find out a bit more, or register your interest, you can email liam.atherton@froglife.org.