Savings help to save the Red Squirrel
Photo: Kilnsey Park

INVESTORS in Cumbria building society have raised £11, 000 to help conserve the endangered red squirrel through a project that works across Northern England, including areas of the Yorkshire Dales.

Furness Building Society has presented the Save our Squirrels project with the cash as a result of £1 million invested by savers in their Red Squirrel Affinity Account.

The building society pledged to donate 1% of the total balance held in the special savings accounts, which was launched in 2000.

Lord Inglewood, patron of Red Alert North England, says: "Furness Building Society was recruited as a corporate sponsor at the launch of our fundraising appeal in August 2000.

"Before the end of that year Chief Executive, Rob Cairns, had persuaded his board to launch the Red Squirrel Affinity Account. As a Patron of Red Alert North England, I am delighted to receive this cheque for £10,999."

The Save our Squirrels (SoS) project is the largest single-species conservation project currently taking place in the UK as is part of the wider Red Alert campaign. The north is home to the last populations of red squirrels in England and SoS is aiming to conserve this engaging mammal at 16 refuges in North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumbria and Lancashire.

anyone can also be helping to save the red squirrel because the Furness will make a payment of 1% on all
savings

Rob Cairns - Furness Building Society

Kelley Sproston, People and Wildlife Officer with SoS, says: "The amount of time and energy that has been invested in red squirrel conservation over the last 30 years has been staggering, but the fight to keep the red squirrel in England is still an uphill battle. Funding like this really makes a difference to what we can achieve."

Rob Cairns, Chief Executive of Furness Building Society, adds: "By opening a red squirrel account with us, anyone can also be helping to save the red squirrel because the Furness will make a payment of 1% on all savings each and every year - the more people save then the more red squirrels with benefit."

For more information on the project visit www.saveoursquirrels.org.uk