Wader Quest – Our History – the story so far
We are proud of our history. Wader Quest has been instrumental in raising awareness of the plight of our waders in addition to raising funds to support much needed conservation. Our thanks are expressed to all of our supporters be they friends of wader Quest or Sponsors past, present and future.
- May 2012: Wader Quest created to raise money for Spoon-billed Sandpiper captive breeding programme – £3,526.06 raised and donated to Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.
- August 2013: Fundraising for Hooded Plover begins at British Birdwatching Fair – £1,316.33 raised and donated to BirdLife Australia.
- March 2014: Small charity created with inaugural Trustees meeting in London.
- May 2014: First AGM of the charity held in London & fundraising begins for Wader Quest Magellanic Plover project – £3,000 raised.
- June 2014: Application made to HMRC to be recognised as a charity.
- October 2014: Wader Quest recognised as a charity by HMRC allowing us to claim Gift Aid and other tax benefits.
- November 2014: Wader Quest launches Wader Conservation World Watch an annual collective world-wide wader watch.
- March 2015: New logo designed and launched.
- November 2015: Wader Quest initiated the UK’s first ever Wader Festival in the Wirral in partnership with Dee Estuary Volunteer Wardens, RSPB, Cheshire Wildlife Trust and Wirral Borough Council rangers.
- December 2015: Number of Friends of Wader Quest and Sponsors passes 100 for the first time.
- February 2016: Wader Quest passes the £10,000 mark for funds raised for wader conservation.
- June 2016: Wader Quest Publishing established and presents Eury the Spoon-billed Sandpiper.
- August 2016: Eury the Spoon-billed Sandpiper children’s book published & fundraising starts for Thai Salt Pan appeal – £1,000 raised.
- March 2017: Fundraising starts for Humber Wader Ringing Group – £1,782.02 raised and donated to HWRG to fund a ‘phutt net’.
- September 2017: Number of Friends of wader Quests and Sponsors passes 200 for the first time
- November 2017:
- Wader Quest passes the £20,000 mark for funds raised for wader conservation.
- Where’s Willet? is launched.
- March 2018: Wader Quest invited to attend the Upland Wader Summit hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales on Dartmoor.
- August 2018:
- New Wader Quest website launched – designed and built by Allan Archer of talk: Wildlife
- Wader Quest Publishing presents An Inspiration of Waders.
- February 2019: Number of Friends of Wader Quest and Sponsors passes 300 for the first time.
- April 2019: Wader Quest passes the £30,000 mark for funds raised for wader conservation.
- May 2019: £1,000 paid to the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand to assist in the purchase of Salt Pans in Pak Thale.
- June 2019: Wader Quest becomes Registered Charity (England and Wales) No. 1183748.
- September 2019: Grants panel formed to assess applications for funding.
- October 2019: First AGM event at Cley Marsh Reserve, Norfolk, England.
- March 2020: Inaugural meeting of the Wader Quest Executive Committee.
- August 2020: Wader Quest Publishing presents A Quest for Waders.
- October 2020: First virtual AGM held due to Covid-19 crisis.
- January 2021: Subscription payments move to January for all Friends and Sponsors
- February 2021: Wader Quest re-registered as a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) No 1193674
- July 2022: Wader Quest attends the first ever Global Birdfair.
- November 2022: Wader Quest passes the £50,000 mark for funds raised for wader conservation.
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