Our Delivery Report
Funded on 08 October 2024 | Delivered on 15 February 2025
£35,336
RAISED
149
BACKERS
115
DAYS TO FUND
BIGGEST PLEDGE
£10,000
From Shropshire Council
£7,250
DONATED
By Ellesmere Heronwatch
591 Hours volunteering opportunities
10 December 2025
Ellesmere Heronwatch
On one of their trips to cover the launch, the BBC actually used some of the footage from our cameras to broadcast on national television, so that just goes to show how good they are!
Amanda Bevan donated £100
existing Heronwatch funds donated £1,500
Ellesmere Heronwatch donated £124
John Mattocks donated £1,000
1000 names in visitor book generated
More about our impact
The environment
Just to tell you what we’ve been able to achieve with your help! There was such a fantastic response to our appeal in 2024 to raise money to replace the video camera system to allow Ellesmere Heronwatch to continue to delight visitors and volunteers alike. So a huge thank you to you all.
The local economy
We know from the staff in the Boathouse Restaurant that many more visitors came ‘out of hours’ as it were. This is a tremendous increase in footfall. And even after the project closed for this year, lots of local people have been enquiring as to when the new season starts!
Volunteering, jobs & education
Heronwatch attracted 4 new volunteers, and for a very small team that’s increased our numbers by 50%. That has been a huge encouragement. And because of that the volunteer hours during the season have increased to 591. The more volunteers there are, the more hours we can cover and share the views and information with the public.
Arts, culture & heritage
Graham Hutchinson, Mayor of Ellesmere, said at the Grand Opening of the new system: “This project is brilliant. It’s so important, so valuable for science and so much fun to watch and learn from...The detailed information that the cameras capture simply cannot be done by watching through a telescope. I don’t know of any system in the country that can achieve the coverage that this one can.”
Activity, health and leisure
During the season (mid February – mid June) visitors are encouraged to sign the Heronwatch Visitor Book. And in 2025 there were almost 1000 names in the book, (about three times as many as previously!), a staggering number. “Well done to all the volunteers on this event and your amazing work to raise the money for the wonderful new cameras. A real lasting legacy to connect people with nature.” A.M. “Hats off to Heronwatch. A wonderful spectacle!” J.B. “The new cameras are a tremendous success. Congratulations to Heronwatch!”
