Stop Press update !

by | Jul 6, 2017

Joint Press Release from the Alderney Wildlife Trust (AWT) and the Alderney Bird Observatory (ABO)

With the thrilling news of the recent approval by the States of Alderney of the restoration of the Nunnery, the Alderney Bird Observatory Committee has considered how best to move forward with the implementation plan for the ABO once the building is back in use.

The Committee Members have unanimously agreed the most beneficial way forward. As a result the Committee will shortly make appropriate recommendations on the principles of its implementation plan to the AWT Board as its parent body (bearing in mind that the ABO is a sub-committee of the AWT with no legal or separate governance status).

Once it has considered the recommendations from the ABO Committee, the AWT Board will in turn liaise with the General Services Committee over the proposed lease and covenant for the Nunnery, which will remain compliant with the recent States’ decisions which should now enable the ABO to become established on Alderney.

Both the ABO and the AWT are working to secure the best possible result for Alderney in terms of developing an implementation plan that will:-

  • conserve and, over time, provide further income to continue restoration of the Nunnery as one of the most important Roman archaeological sites in Western Europe;
  • enable continued appropriate public access, enhancing both the archaeology and the ornithological attractions there; and
  • provide a long-term home for the fledgling Alderney Bird Observatory, which we fully expect will have achieved its status as the first new Accredited Bird Observatory in Britain for very many years, while also being the most southerly Observatory in the whole network.

John Horton, Alderney Bird Observatory Warden said:

“Cathy and I are very pleased with the recent developments and we are looking forward to managing the on going success of the bird observatory at the Nunnery.  The project will undoubtedly continue to bring a lot of positive publicity and tourism to the island.”

Finally both the AWT and the ABO should like to take the opportunity to thank everyone on and off island, not least the States Members themselves, for the overwhelming support given to both organisations to enable the Observatory to achieve so much success so quickly.

 

 

Ian Carter                                                                                                                            Paul K Veron

President                                                                                                                            Chairman

Alderney Wildlife Trust                                                                                                  Alderney Bird Observatory

 

04 July 2017