**ANNUAL REPORT** 

## **2022 – 2023** 

Charity number: 103233 



## **1.0. Our purpose** 

The Northern Ireland Bat Group was formed in 1985, the year when bats first achieved protected status in the province. The Group’s members, are volunteers who come from all walks of life, share a common interest in bats and their conservation. 

The bat group carries out a number of activities including: 






   - Recording and collating bat records which are passed on to CEDaR; 

   - Giving talks on bats to groups of all ages; 

   - Providing advice about bats to individuals and businesses; 

   - Cooperating in bat conservation and research projects; and 

   - Training new volunteers as bat ambulance drivers, carers and roost 

- visitors. 

The Northern Ireland Bat Group is governed by the Constitution as last amended on 23rd April 2017, which is available from the Secretary.  The Northern Ireland Bat Group committee for this reporting period were: 

Chairperson: Mary Maguire 

Treasurer: Emma Boston 

Secretary: Robert Shearman 

Records Secretary: Mary Maguire 

Simon Pickett 

Karen Healy 

Steven Wise 

Geoff Newell 

Catherine Reilly 

Judith Montgomery-Watson 

Joanne Hamilton 

Clare Hickey 

Elanor Ballard 

Richard Ayre 

## **2.0. Chairperson’s report** 

## **2.1. Committee Meetings** 

Committee meetings took place as planned quarterly using zoom. 



## **2.2. Bat Monitoring in Northern Ireland** 

The Northern Ireland Bat Group volunteers continue to assist with bat monitoring programmes in partnership with Bat Conservation Trust and Bat Conservation Ireland: 





- Roost Count 

- All Ireland Daubenton’s Waterway Survey 

- All Ireland Car Monitoring Programme 

- Hibernation survey 

The Northern Ireland Bat Group has also been encouraging members of the public to partake in the public access Bat Conservation Trust surveys and Bat Conservation Ireland national surveys. 

## **2.3. Events delivered** 

Bat ambulance training events were delivered at three locations and bat rescue training was also delivered. 

## **2.4. Bat Records** 

The Northern Ireland Bat Group continue to collate bat records from bat ambulance drivers, bat carers and the Bat Conservation Trust and uploaded into the records to fulfil requests from students, charities, and ecological consultants regarding bat activity in a study area which is supplied. 

## **2.5 Bat Care** 

The Northern Ireland Bat Group continue,  in conjunction with CEDaR provide a bat rescue service, where bat ambulance drivers are trained to assess if the bat needs further care of if it has to be taken to a licenced bat carer. 

The Northern Ireland Bat Group also provides advice to householders on how to release bats which do not require specialist care. 

## **2.6. Raising awareness on bat crime** 

We continue to work closely with PSNI and PAW NI to offer advice and guidance to the public on bat crime.  More details can be found on the website https://www.wildlifecrimeni.org 

## **2.7. Financial position** 

Please see the documents attached from the Northern Ireland Bat Group’s Treasurer. 

Mary Maguire 

Chairperson 

Northern Ireland Bat Group 

23 July 2023