Charity Christmas gifts aim to melt hearts

Following the success of its Christmas cards and gifts range in 2011, a local wildlife charity is preparing for a bumper festive season with a new range of designs. Devon Wildlife Trust has been selling Christmas cards and gifts for a number of years and in 2011 the scheme raised more than £6,000 for its vital work for wildlife across the county. This year it has added a number of new lines, each of which will melt even the coldest heart this Christmas. Red squirrels, foxes, deer and woodpeckers are amongst the stunning images featured on The Trust's Christmas cards. A 2013 calendar packed with beautiful British animals is also available. Orders can be made on-line, by phone or by post. Devon Wildlife Trust is also urging people to think of treating the wildlife-lovers in their life with a very special Christmas gift. Adopting a species makes an unusual present. Choices include bee, hedgehog, bat, otter, dormouse and dolphin - with the recipient receiving a cute soft toy, activity book, fact sheet and much more. Also available is Devon Wildlife Trust gift membership. As well as providing the opportunity for countless free days out in some of Devon's most stunning landscapes, family gift membership also includes a free illustrated book, The Seashore Detective's Handbook - the perfect accessory for rockpooling adventures in 2013. Phoebe Grubb, DWT's Fundraising Officer said: 'With Christmas now looming and the weather turning cold we have started to promote our latest range of cards and gifts. Our cards are printed on sustainably sourced card and really show off some of Devon's best-loved animals. The gifts make lovely presents and are a great way to help wildlife on your doorstep while also sending your Christmas wishes to loved ones." All the profits from the sales of Devon Wildlife Trust's cards and gifts go directly to support its work for the county's wildlife. 

 Just a selection of Devon Wildlife Trust Christmas cards for 2012.  

People who wish to purchase cards should visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org or call Devon Wildlife Trust on 01392 279244. The cards are also available through the Cards for Good Causes outlets across the county and from The Trust's Cricklepit Mill headquarters in Exeter. 

Robbie Williams "Take the Crown" out today

As Robbie Williams looks to the future with the release of the incredible “Take The Crown” , his ninth studio album and his first for Island/Universal, it might also be interesting to remember his considerable achievements so far. In a career strewn with awards, Robbie has quite simply sold more records than any other British solo artist in history. Having sold a staggering 60 million albums over his solo career, Robbie has also won more Brit awards than any other artist in history ( a grand total of 17, to be precise). Six of his albums appear in the all time top 100 biggest selling albums in the UK whilst Williams appears in the Guinness Book of World Records for selling 1.6 million concert tickets in a day in 2006. In 2010 Robbie Williams won the Outstanding Contribution to British Music Award at the BRITS; later that year his reformation with Take That led to their album becoming the fastest selling album of the century. Since then Robbie has been working on his brand new solo album, recorded in Los Angeles with producer Jacknife Lee. The orchestra on the album was recorded at the fabled Capitol Studios in LA. The track-listing for “Take The Crown” is:

• BE A BOY
• GOSPEL
• CANDY
• DIFFERENT
• SHIT ON THE RADIO
• ALL THAT I WANT
• HUNTING FOR YOU
• INTO THE SILENCE
• HEY WOW YEAH YEAH
• NOT LIKE THE OTHERS
• LOSERS (featuring Lissie)

The album was preceded by the single “Candy” which was released on October 29. Of this brilliantly addictive classic Robbie Williams pop song, written with Gary Barlow, Robbie says: “It’s a summer song, about a girl who thinks she’s great. And she might be, but she’s a bit nefarious with her ways. Some songs take an age to write and some songs just fall out of your mouth completely formed, and you don’t have to think about it. I don’t know why that fell out of my mouth and out of my brain at that particular time – it just did”. http://www.robbiewilliams.com/home

Devon Wildlife Trust: Action for Ash

A leading wildlife charity is urging the Government to take action as soon as possible to prevent the spread of a disease which could be devastating to Britain's iconic ash trees. 'Ash dieback' (Chalara fraxinea) is a fungal disease, which has already devastated ash woodlands in other parts of northern Europe, and has now been found in trees in Suffolk, Norfolk and Buckinghamshire. It is estimated that ash trees make up around 30% of England's woodland cover and the thousands of miles of hedgerows which knit our landscapes together. Devon Wildlife Trust's Chief Executive, Harry Barton said: "This could be the biggest threat to our woodlands in modern times. It is essential that we learn lessons from the tragedy of Dutch elm disease and act now to coordinate effort to contain this threat and to protect our woodlands" Last week Defra Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, announced measures to control the spread of the disease. The Wildlife Trusts have urged him to enforce the ban on ash imports and to bring together appropriate scientists, commercial interests, conservation organisations and representatives of landowning bodies to plan an urgent strategy to prevent 'ash dieback' from causing long term damage to the countryside. Harry Barton said: "In the Netherlands we've seen 80% of ash trees affected. We must not let this happen here. If Government and their agencies act decisively now we may be able to check the spread of the disease." The symptoms of ash die back disease are leaf loss and dieback of the tree's crown. Devon Wildlife Trust is currently planning how it will manage this threat within its own reserves, but is urging members of the public to be vigilant and, if anyone suspects that they have seen cases of ash die back, to contact the Forestry Commission Plant Health service on 0131 314 6414. More details about Ash dieback disease can be found at Devon Wildlife Trust's website www.devonwildlifetrust.org