Opticron were delighted to donate a Savanna R PC 8x33 binocular as a prize for the Garden Birdwatch photography competition run by the British Trust for Ornithology. The competition aimed to highlight the importance of garden habitats for wildlife and encourage people to sign up and take part in this long running citizen science project.
The BTO Garden Birdwatch runs all year round and its free to sign up! By logging the sightings in your garden, you can contribute important information that will help the BTO understand how wildlife is using resources such as food, water and shelter. To learn more about the Garden Birdwatch, visit: https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/gbw
This year we have continued our long standing support for the Archery UK magazine, donating two MM3 50 GA/45 + HR3 16-48x and two MM3 60 GA/45 + HR3 16-48x as part of their quarterly Mailbag Prize.
Range High School in Formby received an Aurora BGA VHD 8x42 binocular as part of an education programme on branding. This was a fascinating insight to the students thoughts on the style of the Aurora binoculars and the Opticron brand.
Opticron sponsored The Beds, Cambs and Northants Wildlife Trust 2023 photography competition. Drawing in 520 entries, there was a wide range of photographs for the judges to consider.
Congratulations to Kevin Pigney, the winner of the Flora and Fauna category, Finley Gerrard-Croxon, the winner of the Youth category and James Sinclair, winner of the People in Nature category. All three received a voucher worth £130 to spend on Opticron equipment of their choice. Read the full news story here: http:// https://www.wildlifebcn.org/news/congratulations-our-2023-photography-competition-winners
We continue to support the work of Kevin Morgan, also known as the Natural Explorer. This year we provided Kevin with an upgrade form his old and rather weathered binos and donated a Verano BGA VHD 8x42 binocular to use on his many adventures around the world surveying wildlife, leading expeditions and giving guided talks. You can find out more about Kevin and his incredibly extensive career at: https://www.naturalexplorer.co.uk
Opticron were delighted to continue their support of Butterfly Conservation by donating a Traveller BGA ED 8x32 binocular for their Auction for the Endangered. The auction surpassed its goal of £12,000 and raised a magnificent total of £13,889 to help the charity's mission of saving the UK's butterflies, moths and habitat they depend on. Take a look at the Butterfly Conservation website for lots of resources and information about the charity: https://butterfly-conservation.org
Our friends Phil and Rebecca at Shetland Seabird Tours received a number of Adventurer II WP 8x42 binoculars to help their visitors aboard the Ayda Ruby II spot the wide variety of wonderful marine wildlife around the Noss nature reserve and Bressay.
Opticron are proud to sponsor Shetland's only naturalist led, carbon-neutral, multi award winning wildlife tours. To find out more about the Noss boat tours please visit: https://www.shetlandseabirdtours.com
At this year's Global Birdfair we supported our friends at Birda by donating prizes for their Birdfair challenge which encouraged visitors to go out and log as many bird sightings as they can in Rutland. The top of the leaderboard received a Traveller BGA ED 8x32 binocular and two runners up each received a USM-2 smartphone adapter. Interested in joining the Birda community? Find out more at: https://birda.org
We're delighted to have sponsored the brilliant Wild Snaps photography competition run by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. 30 finalists were selected by a panel of creatives and conservationists, but the final vote was handed over to the public to decide. Congratulations to the two winners in the adult categories, Lesley Fiddell and Peter White, who both received an Opticron voucher worth £150 and had their images featured in the Wildlife Matters magazine. To view this year's finalists and winners visit: https://www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/wild-snaps-photography-competition-2023
The British Deer Society received a Discovery WP PC Mg 8x50 binocular as a prize for their auction for their Deer Journal readers. You can find out more about the charity and subscribe to the Deer Journal at: https://bds.org.uk
This year, we continued our support for the BIAZA Bird Working Group conference by donating the Discovery WP PC 8x32 as a prize for their raffle. BIAZA are the professional body representing the best zoos and aquariums in the UK and Ireland.
Bicton College in Cornwall received a donation of binoculars from Opticron for their Countryside Management students to use on field trips. The binoculars will allow the students to undertake activities like bird surveys when out in the field at locations such as Ham Wall and Pebblebed Heaths.