On 4th June we will be taking part in a 25km trek in the Brecon Beacons (Pen Y Fan) to raise money for a new fund that is being set up in memory of a dear friend and colleague Dr Kate Barlow.

Kate was a leading figure in wildlife conservation, a passionate advocate for bats and bat conservation worldwide and a lover of adventure. From her work on pipistrelle bats during her PhD (that led to the discovery of two cryptic species present in the UK), to her time as a Base Commander with the British Antarctic Survey studying penguins (Kate was the first woman to have ever over-wintered at the base) she was a real explorer and believed conservation and exploration went hand in hand.

Kate unexpectedly and sadly passed away late last year at just 44, but she crammed so much into her short life that she truly was an inspiration. With the support of her parents, a new fund is to be set up in her memory. The Kate Barlow Award will help give budding conservationists the opportunity to follow in Kate's footsteps by making a real contribution to bat conservation as part of their post graduate studies.

All money raised from this page will go directly to this restricted fund. The fund is in development but more information will be provided on the BCT website when available (www.bats.org.uk). Kate's parents have very generously donated a sum of money towards this award. Additional funds are required to top up this amount and keep the fund running in the long run.

www.bats.org.uk/news.php/299/kate_barlow_passionate_wildlife_conservationist_explorer

For those of you that know Sian and/or I you will know that we aren't too familiar with exercise, making this a real challenge for us but knowing that we are raising money for Kate will spur us on. 

Thank you for your donations

Helen and Sian

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