**Please note, this is a hosted webpage. Please use contact details given below for enquiries regarding bats (i.e. do not contact SEWBReC). Valleys Bat Group do not carry out survey work, please use the IEEM directory if you require a professional survey carried out.**

Welcome to the Valleys Bat Group page!

The Valleys Bat Group covers the unitary authority areas of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Torfaen and is affiliated to the Bat Conservation Trust, the national body representing Bat Conservation in the UK.

What does the Bat Group do?

Our Aims

• Further the knowledge of bat distribution and activity in the Group's area.
• Promote the conservation of bats and their habitat.
• Provide a forum for discussion on bat conservation issues.
• Improve public perception of bats.

Our Activities

The bat group participates in the following types of activities:

• Surveys and monitoring, including the National Bat Monitoring Programme
• Bat roost visits
• Provision of advice to members of the public
• Improving the knowledge and skills of members
• Training members for bat licences
• Educating the general public, including at walks, talks, events and shows
• Bat care and rehabilitation

N.B. for URGENT ENQUIRIES regarding bat care (including injured bats, bats in houses etc), please call Erica Dixon on 01443 816920 or 07969 626697.

Please note, Valleys Bat Group does NOT carry out survey work for commercial developments. If you require professional survey work, please refer to the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM) website, which contains a directory of ecological consultants: http://www.ieem.net/ieemdirectory.asp.

Who is involved?

There is currently a committee of 6 officers. These members have specific roles and oversee the smooth running of the group. The rest of the group is then made up of other members, individuals or groups that are interested in bats and bat conservation. The level of involvement is up to each individual, but ranges from attending group meetings to volunteering for surveys and events.

The Committee

Please remove spaces to use the below email addresses.

Chairman: Geri Thomas - merlinbiosurveys @ btinternet.com

Treasurer: Alison Jones - jonesa2 @ caerphilly.gov.uk

Secretary: Aislinn Blackmore - aislinn.b @ hotmail.co.uk

Events Coordinator: Alexandra Pollard - Alexandra.Pollard @ rspb.org.uk

Bat Care Coordinator: Erica Dixon - ecolkett @ aol.com

Records & Training Officer: Richard Dodd - doddrf @ yahoo.co.uk

Join the group!

If you are interested in joining the group, please complete and return the membership form and return to the Membership Secretary (Alison Jones). Membership subscription rates are £5.00 per adult and £2.50 for concessions.

Events and Education

Further information about the group and their events can be found on their facebook page.

Public Events 2012

To be announced.

Previous Events

April 2012: Bats and Bikes Project.

Friday 29th April, 7.45-10.00pm, Sirhowy Valley Country Park, Wattsville, near Crosskeys: Bat Walk. On behalf of Gwent Wildlife Trust in association with Valleys Bat Grioup. Led by Richard Poole.

Friday 6th May, Merthyr: Bat walk and talk.Talk by Erica Dixon and walk led by Geri Thomas. Contact Geri if you'd like to assist with the walk. Talk start time 7pm; walk 8.30pm.

June, Mynyddislwyn, near Blackwood, Caerphilly: Domestic wind turbine survey. Contact Melanie Dodd for further details.

Valleys Bat Group AGM at Caerphilly County Borough Council Offices, Pontllanfraith on Monday 4th April

Bat behaviour/ecology: 'Why the Usk Valley is so good for Lesser Horseshoe Bats'. Presentation by Phil Morgan (Brecknock Bat Group) at Parc Cwm Darran, Caerphilly on Tuesday 29th March 2011

Surveying bats - getting the right tool for the job; looking at different equipment strengths weaknesses and field craft. Presentation by Richard Crompton (Cardiff Bat Group and Titley Scientific) followed by discussion and play with the gadgets around Caerphlly Castle. Tuesday 15th March 2011

Bat Walk in Blaenau-Gwent, starting at Arael School, Aberbeeg on Wednesday 9th June 2010 - download further details (73.8KB, pdf)

Bat Walk & Moth Trap in Merthyr Tydfil, starting at the castle in Cyfartha Park on Friday 11th June 2010

Bat Walk in Caerphilly, starting at Penyfan Pond CP on Friday 30th April 2010

Bat Walk in Rhondda Cynon Taf, starting at the Falcon Inn (Real Ale Pub) on Friday 23rd April 2010

Surveys

To take part in surveys organised by the group, you must be a member. For general information about surveys please contact the Survey Coordinator (Richard Dodd).

Training Workshops

Members of the bat group can obtain training and experience with surveys and bat care and rehabilitation. The group usually offers a programme of surveys throughout the season from April to September and a winter programme of workshops and other training events.

Recording Bats

Do you have bats in your home? Do you see bats flying in your area? Yes? Then please let us know by completing the Valleys Bat Group recording form and forwarding it to the Records Coordinator (Richard Dodd), who will keep the records up to date and send them to SEWBReC.

We value all bat records, so please tell us about where you've spotted them (even if you're not sure which species they are) so we can learn more about the distribution of bats in the Valleys Bat Group area.

For more information about records please contact the Records Coordinator (Pete Wells).

Contact Us

To contact the Valleys Bat Group, please email the Secretary (Aislinn Blackmore).

If you have a general enquiry about bats please call the Bat Conservation Trust Helpline on 0845 1300 228.

For URGENT ENQUIRIES regarding bat care (including injured bats, bats flying in houses etc), please call Erica Dixon on 01443 816920 or 07969 626697.