BRIDGING THE GAP

THE TEAM at Plas Newydd are launching an ambitious appeal to raise £10,000 to fund the building of a squirrel rope bridge and help look after Anglesey’s famous reds.

Once built, the bridge will span the busy main road next to the historic property near Llanfairpwll, providing safe passage for the squirrels to neighbouring woodland.

Each year, red squirrels are killed on the road and the hope is that, as well as saving lives, the bridge will also encourage the squirrels to further populate surrounding areas.

In October 2008, six squirrels were brought to Plas Newydd and later released into the deciduous woodland.

They bred successfully and over 100 animals can now be found on the estate and have even crossed the Menai Strait.

The Plas Newydd Red Squirrel Appeal will launch officially at this year’s Red Squirrel Week – an annual event to celebrate the success of the re-introduction of red squirrels to Anglesey.

As well as building the bridge, the appeal aims to raise £10,000 to help the team care for the squirrel’s habitat by maintaining and improving nest boxes, installing new feeding stations, conducting research, creating a new squirrel viewing hide and supporting new Red Squirrel Volunteer roles.

Claire Seager, Visitor Experience Supervisor, who is heading the Red Squirrel Appeal, explained: “We wanted to give people the opportunity to learn more about them and be able to play an active part in caring for them.

“Each year we receive reports from visitors and staff about dead squirrels on the road so we asked our squirrel experts and the Anglesey Red Squirrel Trust how we could stop this. The idea of raising money for a rope bridge was mentioned and it all took off from there.”

You can donate by visiting Plas Newydd’s JustGiving page at www. Justgiving.com/RedSquirrelAppeal or by texting PNNT49 and the donation amount to 70070 (e.g.Text: ‘PNNT49 £5’ to 70070)

You can also donate when you visit Plas Newydd and receive a Red Squirrel Appeal pack, which includes a map to find the reds’ favourite places to eat and play and follow a red squirrel trail inside the house.