If you are interested in the promotion of our hobby then please read on. If
not trash this and please accept my apologies for wasting your time.
I sent the folowing letter to the various Bird Clubs in Australia. It is my
belief that our hobby is misunderstood and badly underpromoted. I loathe
anodyne and vacuous promotional" weeks" but the reality is that the media
work with them. So please think about what you can do to promote birding at
your workplace, in your local media, local library or whatever. If you
would like to volunteer to run an activity in the name of whatever club or
organisation you belong to or in the RAOU's name then there a host of things
we can do. The RAOU will use bird week to promote the diversity of bird
organisations/interests; the plight of our wild birdsand the need to raise
money to conserve them. Oh and have some fun birding.
Re Bird Week 1997
I have received confirmation that the National Bird Week dates for this year
are October 20 to 26, with a launch scheduled for Sunday October 19. I
thought that you may like to add this to your activity calendar.
Bird Week is a major opportunity for all organisations with an interest in
natural history, conservation and especially birds to capitalise upon media
attention. During Bird Week many of us attempt to mount activities designed
to draw attention to the diversity, beauty and plight of Australia's wild
birds.
However we seem to miss out on opportunities because we don't have a
co-ordinated approach, such that we can cross promote the activities of all
bird -interested parties during this week.
I would like to suggest that the RAOU could act with the Bird Observers
Club, the Gould Leagues and others to jointly promote the activities of any
organisation mounting a promotion during Bird Week. Each of has unique
strengths, including the ability to inspire our own members to act. If we
jointly promoted Bird Week internally and externally the result may well be
good for all of us. It would certainly help the birds.
If you agree with these sentiments then there are a number of ways we could
proceed. Where they exist, the state bird groupings could take a
coordinating role or the RAOU could accept the national role of collecting,
publishing and publicising all bird related events. If you favour the
latter I will willingly accept the task of collating your details.
I hope this idea meets with your approval and look forward to hearing of
your activities for Bird Week 1997. Even if you are not planning any
special promotion or events at this time it would still be a help if you
promoted the national week to your members and contacts.
Yours sincerely
Bill Fenton
Marketing Manager
letter ends
PS If you know of any individual, organisation or bird club who should get
a copy of this please feel free to pass it on.
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