Lottery Players have made some great pledges this year.

Main image: Ben Ashdown

Card Image: Bernard Genton

Winner of the Lottery Player Award: South Molton Save our Swifts

South Molton Save Our Swifts has invited Citizens to get involved by erecting our custom-made swift boxes on their eaves in a bid to aid preservation of swifts in our town.   They make the boxes to order and assist with erection. They put up over 30 in spring 2022 and over 30 in 2023. Their Project is run by an informal group of five. One of our number is a carpenter and he makes the boxes in batches to order. They put out a public appeal to assess interest and had a great response. The boxes are either flat topped or sloped according to the site. Most people get their boxes erected but a local man with a cherry- picker put the rest up free of charge. They sell the boxes which completely covers the cost of materials and funds the project. In their first season they put up over thirty boxes and hope to repeat this year.  They have kept the public informed by putting regular reports in the local monthly newspapers and magazine. 

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Commendable Pledges made

Molton Monthly 

Switching to carbon neutral paper certified by the World Land Trust, printed using solar  energy on the Devon/Cornwall border, to produce the community news and business advertising magazine Molton Monthly.  The magazine is a North Devon Biosphere  Business Partner and helps to promote sustainability and covers other environmental issues with a focus on tackling the climate emergency. 

Woodhouse Organic Farm

   Created a pond/scrape primarily for reptiles especially the Common Toad which are becoming increasingly threatened by development/global warming which results in their spawning beds in the slack waters of the River Mole being eroded in summer.  They put up a kestrel box this year. The have been involved in Orchard regeneration and intend to plant about 30 trees and reintroduce mistletoe. They have also ordered 150 trees mainly aspens to plant on various hedges .

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