There are dozens of charitable organisations working for countryside conservation and they need cash now as never before. Many of them have turned to marketing goods and Christmas cards to raise some of this cash. More sniffy members might dislike the commercialism involved but charity really does begin at home.

The other day, I received the annual gift catalogue of the British Trust for Ornithology, which for years has been keeping a watchful eye on our bird populations.

It offers a variety of wonderful Christmas cards on bird themes, gifts like books, CDs of birdsongs, packs of bird foods for feeders and - there is one on our kitchen wall already - a birdsong clock which, instead of chiming the hours, chirrups them with the calls of different species.

Contact the BTO Collection, Freepost 1155, Canterbury, Kent CT3 4BR or check their website: www.btocollection.com In the next post came the sweetly named Hogologue, Christmas brochure of one of my favourite country charities, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. This offers cards, soft toys (hedgehogs, of course), outdoor clothing, and hog nesting boxes for those who want Prickles to take up residence in the back garden (where is will do wonders in keeping the slugs down). Contact British Hedgehog Society Trading, Hedgehog House, Dhustone, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 3PL.

Hogalogue

Another gift which will put money into the rural pocket is a membership of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, which is three years into a five year programme restoring important wildlife sites like hedgerows, ponds, heaths and woods.

Already, 200 of these projects have been completed but there are still 70 to go, which the trust estimates will cost some £200,000. There are several different levels of membership or you can make a straight donation to the trust. With certain tax breaks and matching funding from the national lottery, every £10 donated is worth £30!

Details from the Development Office, Beech House, Thormanby, York YO61 4NN. (Tel. and fax 01845 501000).

As I said earlier, there are dozens of these organisations which will put your money to good use rather than pocketing it as profit. I cannot list them all here but please support the one of your choice. It will bring some much-needed good cheer at the end of a pretty dismal year.