So what can I do to help?
As there is only a timescale of about six weeks between the public announcement and the proposed closure – and only about two weeks from this site going live before a decision may be final – there is a limited timescale in which to act before it’s too late…
There are several things you can do if you want to try and save Wildwalk from closing…
Tell everyone you know!
Pass this website address on to anyone you know who might be concerned and want to help prevent the closure of Wildwalk, and urge them to do one or more of the following things:
Sign our ePetition
As previously stated, Save Wildwalk’s aim is to lobby the Council and South West Regional Development Agency for short term funding to keep Wildwalk open for a while longer, while enough public support and media attention is gathered to petition National Government for long term funding, and to see if other sources of funding can be found. The request to the Government is that they either consider Wildwalk as a Natural History Museum, and subsidise it as such, or provide the same level of support for Science Centres in England as is currently provided in Wales and Scotland, which enables centres such as Techniquest in Cardiff to operate successfully. So please sign our ePetition and tell everyone else you know who may be interested. Thank you!
If you know people who don’t have internet access but would like to sign the petition, Here is a paper version you can download and print out for them to sign . When you have finished gathering signatures, please email me and I will let you know the address to post it to.
Write to your MP and Councillors
One letter to a Councillor or MP can sometimes hold the same weight as an entire petition with several hundred signatures, ie a petition with 200 signatures is sometimes seen by a council as one petition, whereas 200 individual letters or emails may be seen as 200 petitions and therefore be seen as more significant.
If you are sending an email, it is also worthwhile copying your message to the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee at cmscom@parliament.uk, the Parliamentary Education Unit at edunit@parliament.uk and the Trade and Industry Committee tradeindcom@parliament.uk as they can bring pressure to bear on both ministers and government executive bodies. This way at least the issue starts to appear on the politicians’ radar screen, so to speak.
With the links below, we have made it as easy as possible for you to email your MP or Councillor if you live in Bristol, by providing their email addresses. If you are not sure who is your MP or Councillor, you can find out using your post code.
A list of email addresses for local MPs
A list of email addresses for local Councillors
If you are not sure who is your MP or Councillor
If you do not have much time to write your own letter, you can copy and paste the following letter (don’t forget to insert the relevant name at the beginning, and your name at the end!):
Dear [insert MP or Councillor’s name],
I am strongly opposed to the closure of Wildwalk in April.
It would be a terrible loss to Bristol if this unique attraction and valuable educational facility was allowed to disappear. As Bristol City Council has invested £19M of public money since Wildwalk opened in 2000, I believe it would be a great waste of this money to allow this much loved centre to close, without every effort being made to give it a last chance to be saved.
I would urge you to support Save Wildwalk’s campaign to facilitate Wildwalk to continue to operate in the short term, whilst long term funding from the Government and other sources is sought. I would ask you to consider persuading Bristol City Council and the South West Regional Development Agency to come up with some final ‘stop-gap’ capital funding to enable this, and to encourage the board of Wildwalk to continue operating Wildwalk if this funding can be found.
I would ask you to urge National Government to find long term funding for Wildwalk, either as a Science Centre, or by subsidising it as a Natural History museum.
We cannot allow Wildwalk to close! I hope you will give serious consideration to this matter, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
[insert your name]
Write to the Board of Wildwalk
In the same vain, here is another email you might like to cut and paste, to Dr Goery Delacote, Chief Executive of At-Bristol. Please put ‘FAO: Dr Goery Delacote’ in the subject matter, and email to information@at-bristol.co.uk
Dear Dr Goery Delacote,
I feel very upset about the proposed closure of Wildwalk in April.
It would be a terrible loss to Bristol if this unique attraction and valuable educational facility was allowed to disappear. As Bristol City Council has invested £19M of public money since Wildwalk opened in 2000, I believe it would be a great waste of this money to allow this much loved centre to close, without every effort being made to give it a last chance to be saved.
I believe that with a significant amount of public support and media exposure, National Government may be persuaded to find long term funding for Wildwalk – either as a Science Centre, or by subsidising it as a Natural History Museum – or that another source of funding may be found.
I would urge you to consider continuing to operate Wildwalk if short term funding can be found, thus giving time for National Government to consider this request, and for other sources of long term funding to be found.
We do not want to see Wildwalk to close! I hope you will give serious consideration to this matter, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
[insert your name]
Use It or Lose It!
VISIT!
Admittedly, the current admission prices to Wildwalk can seem a little steep, especially for anyone who wants to visit on a regular basis. However, visiting – especially now – will demonstrate to those who make decisions just how popular Wildwalk is, as well as boosting the revenue that is needed to keep it open. And if you’ve never visited before, now’s the time, just in case it’s your last chance… but of course we hope that won’t be the case! For admission prices, see http://www.at-bristol.org.uk/visit/admission.htm
Wildwalk is currently allowing parents with young children in free till the end of March, where they can also explore the “Let’s imagine… In the Jungle” exhibition, which is specially designed for children under eight. For details of this promotion, see http://www.at-bristol.org.uk/Wildwalk/junglemums.htm
BECOME A MEMBER
Ahh, the delights of membership..! It may seem expensive to spend that much money on an annual membership, but when you consider that once you’ve paid, you can effectively pop in for ‘free’, whenever you like. When you’ve got children, this is a wonderful revelation, as you can spend half an hour in Wildwalk or Explore, without feeling you’ve shelled out quite a lot for a single admission price and need to spend three hours there to justify it. You will almost certainly find yourself visiting on a far more regular basis than you ever imagined – when the kids are bored halfway through a Saturday afternoon, or to break up a lengthy shopping trip in Broadmead. For full details, see http://www.at-bristol.org.uk/About/membership.htm
BE A GIFT AID VISITOR
At-Bristol is a charity, and relies on donations and grants. If you’re a UK tax payer, Gift Aid is an Inland Revenue scheme which allows charities to reclaim the basic rate tax you’ve paid – an extra 28p for every £1 of the total paid. It makes a massive difference to charities like At-Bristol. However, since April 2006, the rules governing Gift Aid have changed which means that charities like At-Bristol can only claim Gift Aid on daily admission tickets if visitors donate at least 10% more than the standard admission fee. For more information, see http://www.at-bristol.org.uk/About/gift_aid.htm
Express your views!
Write to:
The Evening Post
epletters@bepp.co.uk
The Council’s Executive Member for Culture and Leisure
Simon Cook
simon.cook@bristol.gov.uk
Enterprise Manager for the South West Regional Development Agency
Ann O’Driscoll
ann.odriscoll@southwestrda.org.uk
Market Research
Save Wildwalk would like to conduct some market research into what would encourage local people to visit more often. We hope to soon have a brief questionnaire prepared, and if you would like to fill it in, you will be able to download this as a pdf. If you are interested in filling this in, please check back on this site in the next week or two for further details.
Alternatively, please leave a comment by using our blog – answering some of our questions and perhaps posting some of your own. Thank you!
If you would like a poster to print out and display in your place of work, or anywhere else that people might see it. Download the Save Wildwalk poster