HISTORY OF THE CAMBRIDGESHIRE & ESSEX BRANCH

The Cambridgeshire and North Essex Branch (as it was known then) was formed on April 27th 1984 with a Steering Committee of 6 people, President – Michael Chinery, Chairman/Editor/Survey – Peter Smout, Branch Organiser/Treasurer/Membership – Iris Newbery, plus 3 committee members, Joan Dixon, Rod Newbery, and Derek Soper. By the end of the year we had managed to increase our numbers to 14 members. A Newsletter was produced, edited by Peter Smout and typed out by Iris Newbery on a typewriter, with drawings of butterflies pasted on where needed. Iris then ran it through a Gestetner, stapled, put it in envelopes, which had been typed on the typewriter and posted. Not a very onerous task to begin with, but more so as membership grew.

In 1986 we became the Cambridgeshire and Essex Branch, when we were officially granted custody of the whole of Essex. By November 1986 our membership had increased to 72. Field trips were organised from the formation of the branch, and in 1986 our first working party was to Thrift Wood, in Essex, a site still worked on by the branch.

The branch currently has about 500 members who receive 3 printed newsletters per year. We carry out, participate in, and fund various research projects concerning butterflies and moths, and hold training sessions for members and other interested parties. Members can also take part in practical tasks to create or improve butterfly and moth habitats, and fundraising events to finance conservation and research (see Events).

Join us and help us in this valuable, interesting and rewarding work.

Aims & Objectives