Off the Leash

 'Shortcasts’ are short standalone audio comments and statements from conservationists, campaigners, charities, authors and members of our audience. If it needs to be said – say it here!

A shortcast with Off the Leash Podcasts' Dominic Dyer about the long-running insistence by the British Army of using animal fur to make the ceremonial bearskin hat used by British Foot Guards rather than use faux fur alternatives such as the one being offered to them by PETA and ECOPEL

• PETA UK Stop the Slaughter of Bears for the Queen’s Guard’s Caps
• PETA UK Stop Bear Slaughter: PETA Unveils Faux-Fur Queen’s Guard Cap
• Evening Standard (April 2012)  The shocking video images which show the cruelty behind the Army's bearskin hats

In the twentieth episode of The Off the Leash Podcast, Dominic Dyer and Charlie Moores focus on COP 26, the 'Conference of the Parties' climate summit being held in Glasgow this year. Dominic chaired a  ‘State of the Earth’ Question Time debate at COP which was organised by Born Free and the UK Cabinet Office, and we discuss whether the summit appears to be achieving lasting change and the feelings 'on the ground'. We also talk about some of the ideas discussed during the debate by a panel that included Will Travers OBE, Deborah Meaden, and Bella Lack: the role of storytelling in campaigning, for example, putting the climate and biodiversity crises on the school curriculum, peak travel, and the scaling-up of technology. Dominic also discusses why he thinks his Twitter account is being 'throttled' (his tweets are no longer appearing in many feeds including our own): lobbyists working to counter the campaigns set up against the slaughter of whales and dolphins on the Faroe Islands.

•  ‘State of the Earth’ Question Time Panel Debate (YouTube)
• What is COP26 and what was agreed at Glasgow climate conference? BBC News
• Petition  Suspend trade agreement with Faroe Islands until all whale & dolphin hunts end 
• Dominic Dyer Twitter feed

Off the Leash Podcasts is proud to publish a series of shortcasts supporting the Emily Williamson Festival.  Emily was a co-founder of the RSPB and an eco-activist before the term was even invented. Taking inspiration from her legacy, modern day change-makers will be exploring the links between Conservation, Campaigning, Science and Art in a weekend of events at Manchester Art Gallery between the 12th and 13th of November.

In this shortcast we hear from artist and sculptural choreographer Hazel Reeves, who is currently the artist in residence at the world-renowned Knepp Wildland Estate in West Sussex where she is surrounded by a surging population of Nightingales and creates remarkable soundscapes filled with the sounds of nature, like the beautiful 'Sculptural Murmurings Project'.

• Hazel Reeves Website and Twitter feed
•  Hazel Reeves Sculptural Murmurings Project 
• Knepp Wildland Estate Website
• Emily Williamson Festival Conservation, Campaigning, Science, Art
• A statue for Emily Williamson  emilywilliamsonstatue.com
• Shortcast #18 Tessa Boase | The Story of the RSPB's Women Founders

'Shortcasts’ are short standalone audio comments and statements from conservationists, campaigners, charities, authors and members of our audience. If it needs to be said – say it here!

(TW: very occasional - and entirely understandable - strong language)
A compelling shortcast by Puffer, a Manchester Hunt Saboteur and member of Lancashire Badger Group, who last April was almost killed when he stood up to a gang of badger baiters digging at a local sett he was monitoring. Puffer survived a horrendous attack (that fortunately he barely remembers, but which left him with deep head wounds, broken teeth, and extensive damage to a ripped ear) but as you'll hear his concern is not for himself but for the badgers. For him - and for Sabs and monitors up and down the country, heroes on the frontline against wildlife crime and animal abuse - first and foremost it's the badgers that need to survive the baiters - which is why, as he says at the end of this eloquent and inspirational recording, no matter what happens or what is thrown at him and other Sabs, "we're going nowhere - they will never deter us".

• Manchester Hunt Saboteurs  Facebook page and Twitter feed
• Support Manchester Hunt Saboteurs on ko-fi.com
• North West Hunt Sabs Website
• Lancashire Badger Group Website
• Interview #09  Derbyshire Against The Cull |  Voices from the Cull Zone

Off the Leash Podcasts is proud to publish a series of shortcasts supporting the Emily Williamson Festival.  Emily was a co-founder of the RSPB and an eco-activist before the term was even invented. Taking inspiration from her legacy, modern day change-makers will be exploring the links between Conservation, Campaigning, Science and Art in a weekend of events at Manchester Art Gallery between the 12th and 13th of November.

In this shortcast,  Chloe Jeffries from Climate Emergency Manchester tells us about how Emily's legacy continues in the work the group does locally to tackle the climate crisis. 

She discusses how different skills can be valuable in campaigning and activism, and talks about the group's Active Citizenship Toolkit which breaks down how to engage with these issues and how we can all contribute in an impactful way. 

• Climate Emergency Manchester Website and Twitter feed
• Active Citizenship Toolkit Website
• Emily Williamson Festival Conservation, Campaigning, Science, Art
• A statue for Emily Williamson  emilywilliamsonstatue.com
• Shortcast #18 Tessa Boase | The Story of the RSPB's Women Founders

Off the Leash Podcasts is proud to publish a series of shortcasts supporting the Emily Williamson Festival.  Emily was a co-founder of the RSPB and an eco-activist before the term was even invented. Taking inspiration from her legacy, modern day change-makers will be exploring the links between Conservation, Campaigning, Science and Art in a weekend of events at Manchester Art Gallery between the 12th and 13th of November.

Nicola Chester is the RSPB‘s first and longest-running female columnist, writing for their Nature’s Home Magazine. She has just released her newest book 'On Gallows Down', described as being "about how Nicola came to realise that it is she who can decide where she belongs, for home is a place in nature and imagination, which must be protected through words and actions". 

In this shortcast, Nicola describes her personal connection with nature and the ever-present need to protect it. She says that we can all find our own way to protest and reads a couple of extracts from 'On Gallows Down' that detail what she has already lost and reminds us all what we still have to lose. 

• Nicola Chester Nature Notes blog and Twitter feed
• On Gallows Down (Chelsea Green Publishing, 7th October 2021)
• RSPB  Website and Twitter feed
• Emily Williamson Festival Conservation, Campaigning, Science, Art
• A statue for Emily Williamson  emilywilliamsonstatue.com
• Shortcast #18 Tessa Boase | The Story of the RSPB's Women Founders

 A series of live recordings from outside the National Trust AGM in Harrogate on the 30th October 2021, at which a historic vote was taken to end so-called trail hunting on National Trust land.

Charlie Moores joined a group of staff and supporters from the League Against Cruel Sports - who have been working incredibly hard to spread the message that trail hunting is a smokescreen for illegal fox hunting - his Off the Leash colleague, campaigner and author Dominic Dyer (who you will hear give a barnstorming speech prior to the vote), and Luke Steele from Wild Moors, a Yorkshire-based charity that works with communities, governments and companies to unlock moorland from grouse shooting for the restoration of wildlife and habitats.

In the first half of this podcast - recorded prior to the announcement of the result - you'll hear from Emma Judd Deputy Director of Campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, Luke Steele, Dominic Dyer, a League supporter who asked not to be named, and Andy Knott the League's CEO all explaining why the Trust should finally end illegal fox hunting on its land. Next up is Dominic's speech. We then move to the afternoon and the actual moment when  news was sent from inside the AGM and - well, the tears and the cheers began.

In the final audio we hear from Emma and Dominic again, a delegate who came out of the AGM to tell us how pleased he was with the vote, and finally from Andy the League's CEO again..

• League Against Cruel Sports league.org.uk

A shortcast (or perhaps more accurately in this case a short interview) between Off the Leash Podcasts colleagues Charlie Moores and Dominic Dyer, discussing the UK government's first response to the petition Dominic launched a few weeks ago following the mass slaughter of a superpod of Atlantic White-sided Dolphins on the Faroe Islands. The petition asks for a suspension of the UK's trade agreement with the Islands until all whale & dolphin hunts end.

What did Dominic make of the government's response and what is planned next.

• Petition Suspend trade agreement with Faroe Islands until all whale & dolphin hunts end
• Facebook Events Taiji and Faroe Islands dolphin and whale march (London, 10 Dec) 
• Shortcast #43 Sea Shepherd UK | #StoptheGrind Demo
  
  

Off the Leash Podcasts is proud to publish a series of shortcasts supporting the Emily Williamson Festival.  Emily was a co-founder of the RSPB and an eco-activist before the term was even invented. Taking inspiration from her legacy, modern day change-makers will be exploring the links between Conservation, Campaigning, Science and Art in a weekend of events at Manchester Art Gallery between the 12th and 13th of November (NB the event was 12 - 14 Nov, but has now been shortened).

A shortcast from the street artist known as ATM, whose beautiful wildlife murals are dotted around the UK and beyond. He speaks about what he hopes to inspire with his work and the action we can all take on a local level for wildlife. Like Emily Williamson, he wants to reinforce our cultural connection with the natural world, something that is sorely needed to help create a sustainable future for us and, well, for everything.

ATM's website which features a number of his beautiful and evocative paintings is at  atmstreetart.com/

• ATM Website and Twitter feed
• Emily Williamson Festival Conservation, Campaigning, Science, Art
• A statue for Emily Williamson  emilywilliamsonstatue.com
• Shortcast #18 Tessa Boase | The Story of the RSPB's Women Founders

Off the Leash Podcasts is proud to publish a series of shortcasts supporting the Emily Williamson Festival.  Emily was a co-founder of the RSPB and an eco-activist before the term was even invented. Taking inspiration from her legacy, modern day change-makers will be exploring the links between Conservation, Campaigning, Science and Art in a weekend of events at Manchester Art Gallery between the 12th and 13th of November (NB the event was 12 - 14 Nov, but has now been shortened).

In this shortcast, author Laline Paul speaks about activism and the need to wake up, look at issues straight on, get involved and - while we're at it - stick two fingers up at anybody who criticises us for doing so!

Laline is author of 'The Ice', 'The Bees' and 'Pod', which is coming out in the Spring next year. 

• Laline Paull Website and Twitter feed
• Emily Williamson Festival Conservation, Campaigning, Science, Art
• A statue for Emily Williamson  emilywilliamsonstatue.com
• Shortcast #18 Tessa Boase | The Story of the RSPB's Women Founders