Events, Activities & Volunteering opportunities

We are looking for volunteers to assist with some Local Wildlife Sites and church surveys for 2025.

All of the documents for this project can be found by logging in to the website and browsing to My Account>My Downloads>KBG Volunteers documents>LWS & Bats in Churches. https://www.kentbatgroup.org.uk/my-account/my-downloads/kbg-volunteers-documents/lws-church-project

We would recommend reading the documents before signing up here, as they contain information on the proposed churches and how the surveys will be conducted. Your membership needs to be up-to-date to take part.

If you have any questions please email Clair  

If you're new to bats, this free beginners workshop is for you.

It's being run by the Bat Conservation Trust and will explore the wonderful world of bats! It covers which bats are in the UK, how they are surveyed, and how you can find these amazing animals in your local area. It will show you how to carry out your first bat count and ways in which you can continue to develop your skills. You will be introduced to the National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP), and discover how to take part in the NBMP Sunset Survey. The training will be run by Parvathy Venugopal, Survey Officer for the NBMP.

You can book your place here.

Kent Field Club along with Mote Park have arranged a 24 hour bioblitz. The event will be run from 10am to 4.30pm for public participation and anyone can join in in recording what's about. 

Later in the evening, Mote Park, Kent Field Club and Kent Bat Group will survey the site for bats.

Mote Park is already known as a good site for bats and multiple species have been recorded there. If you'd like to brush up on your bat detector skills, Dr John Puckett will lead the KBG survey team, and if you'd like to help out with recording what's flying on the 8th, complete the form here and we'll be in touch nearer the time with further details. This will be an ideal opportunity to brush up on your field skills and/or gain experience using a heterodyne detector.

If the weather is unsuitable on the 8th we'll try and go out on the 9th instead.

N.B. numbers will be limited.

We are also looking for a few volunteers to help man the KBG stand during the day.

Risk Assessments for both activities can be found by logging-in to the Members area and going to My Downloads>KBG Volunteers documents.

The National Bat Conference is the biggest event in the bat calendar - An opportunity to hear from experts, develop your skills and connect with bat workers from across the country - catch up with old friends and make new ones!

Taking place Friday 5th - Sunday 7th September 2025 at Durham University and online via Zoom.

Bookings are only open for attendees at the moment but virtual attendees can book later in June. Early bird prices are available until 15th June. 

More conference details are available: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/conferences-symposia/national-bat-conference

Workshop details are available here: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/conferences-symposia/national-bat-conference/workshops

Package notes:

• Conference accommodation are single en-suite bedrooms in Collingwood Hall.
• Friday is a 2 course self-service dinner
• Saturday night is the conference dinner - 3 course served meal with wine and entertainment

Book your tickets here.

Save the date for our AGM and first in person meeting of the winter.

Speaker to be announced.