The organising committee of Redefest, held annually in the Northumberland village of Rochester, has donated £500 to support the popular volunteer-led wildlife initiative. Following the festival’s final event this year, organisers chose to distribute some of their remaining funds to local projects that have made a positive impact on the community.

As a gesture of thanks for the Trust’s support over the years, Redefest committee members selected Kielder Osprey Watch as one of the causes to benefit from the donation.

Breeding pairs of ospreys have returned to nest in Kielder each year since 2009, arriving in spring and remaining until September. Activity around the nest peaks during July and August, when chicks hatch, are fed and eventually learn to fly and hunt independently.

Each year, Northumberland Wildlife Trust volunteers staff the Osprey Watch cabin at Tower Knowe Visitor Centre from April until mid-August, providing visitors with the opportunity to learn more about these remarkable birds through expert guidance and telescope viewing.

The project not only helps people connect with nature but also offers volunteers the chance to meet new people while enjoying the stunning Kielder landscape.

Joe Crutwell, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Volunteering Support Officer, said:

“In just four months this year, our Osprey Watch volunteers spoke to 5,131 visitors and clocked up 1,297 volunteering hours, so this donation is a great boost to their efforts and will be put to good use when the birds return to the region next spring.

“Keep watching the skies from March onwards and put a note in your diary to come and meet the volunteers at the Osprey Watch cabin and try out the telescopes for yourself.”

The Kielder Osprey Project is a partnership between Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust, Forestry England, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Northumbrian Water, Wild Intrigue and Calvert.

For more information, visit: www.kielderospreys.wordpress.com