Comment
Why am I doing this?
In the past few weeks, since I heard about the proposed closure, I have spent a considerable amount of my spare time researching the reasons why this might happen, and what effective measures might be taken to try and prevent it from happening. I have gathered information, contacted a huge variety of people, put together this campaign, and publicised it as heavily as possible—which is presumably why you are reading this! So why does it matter to me, as an ordinary member of the public? A few reasons…
- I care passionately about the environment and feel that other people will also only care about the environment and do something to preserve it if they have a knowledge, appreciation and love of nature in all its forms, and I feel that Wildwalk sets out to help people gain exactly that. I believe this is particularly important in the current climate, with interest in, and concern for our natural environment growing rapidly.
- When I moved to Bristol 11 years ago, it was through to circumstances rather than choice. In the past seven years in particular, the city has developed in exciting and attractive ways, making so much more of its potential (for example, making around the harbourside an attractive place to be and walk!) and offering so many more facilities. For me, Bristol has gradually changed from somewhere I happen to live, to somewhere I want to live. At-Bristol is a central part of that, and is somewhere I take my friends and family when they come to visit—something I show them proudly as part of what a great place Bristol is to live in. For me, what makes At-Bristol different and special is the diversity of the attractions—science centre and planetarium, natural history centre, IMAX cinema. For At-Bristol to lose those particular two thirds of its facilities and become merely a science museum, seems to me ridiculous and ironic, as Bristol is a city well known for its natural history and film-making: the BBC houses its Natural History Unit here, along with other independent production companies with an interest in natural history film making; Bristol hosts the popular yearly Festival of Nature, and also the Wildscreen Festival, ‘the world’s largest, most prestigious and influential event for the wildlife and environmental filmmaking industry’.
- I have a young daughter, and I sincerely hope that in a few years time Wildwalk will still be around for her to enjoy, and learn from as much as I have.
Carolyn Hecker – Campaign Coordinator
If anyone has any thoughts, comments or suggestions that they would like to share with me, please email me at carolyn@savewildwalk.org.uk, or to share with visitors to this website, please leave a comment.