In aid of the Curlew Country Appeal we are holding a raffle! Launched on the 21st April (World Curlew Day), it will be drawn 1 month later, on the 21st May.
The money raised will go towards the continuation of the project’s vital curlew recovery work. In 2019 we are planning to continue with headstarting, to further boost the population. In 2018, 21 curlew chicks were reared and released, a first for the project and the UK. This year we hope to increase that number, through the use of better equipment and added expertise.
The first prize will be the beautiful hand carved curlew headed walking stick, kindly donated by Wuzzlewood Woodcraft. The maker is a retired IT manager living on Gower, and now a maker of carved wooden items. He has been making sticks for over 3 years and Is a member of the South Wales Stickmakers, where he has honed his skills and learnt the traditions of walking stick crafting. The head is carved from locally sourced Lime, painted with wood stains and acrylics and detailed using a pyrograph. The shank is made from local hazel, and both are then finished with a varnish to protect it from wear. These are a collector’s item, but are designed to be used for walking, hiking, hunting, shooting or wading.
The second prize is a limited-edition Curlew Print from artist Owen 
Williams. Owen is a professional sporting and wildlife artist, with a particular passion for woodcock that has led to him training to catch and ring these elusive birds. The self-taught artist is inspired by his time growing up in the Countryside, drawing on a childhood spent hunting, fishing and exploring a landscape full of a huge variety of flora and fauna. As well as creating beautiful watercolour studies and scenes, Owen also works with bronze to create stunning Woodcock sculptures. The sale of these bronzes helps to fund the purchase of geo-locator tags which are fitted to Woodcock to track their movements and gather valuable data.
The third prize is a private tour of Snailbeach Lead Mine for up to 6 people, led by Andrew Wood. A member of the Shropshire Mines Trust, Andrew is well versed in the rich mining history of the area. Find out more about the remains of the mine buildings, their purpose, the people who lived and worked here and the mines importance to Shropshire. The tour will also include the opportunity to enter the mine levels themselves.
Raffle tickets will cost £5 each, and there will be a ticket limit of 150. If you are interested in purchasing a ticket you can visit local venues (Stiperstones Inn, The Bog Visitor Centre and more!) in South Shropshire or contact us for more information. E-mail curlewcountry@gwct.org.uk or phone 01743 296100. Alternatively you can purchase a ticket online, just click here.