BatChat

• Big News – Behind the Mic

  We’ve hit a milestone - and it’s all thanks to you! In this special bonus episode, host Steve Roe takes you behind the scenes of BatChat: from the podcast’s beginnings in 2018 to the present day. Discover how the show came to be created, what goes into producing each episode, and enjoy a previously unreleased gem from one of our most loved guests: Dr Bob Stebbings.What’s Inside:🦇 The origin story: How a passion for bats (and a well-timed compliment about a “Radio 4 voice”) sparked the idea for BatChat.🔧 What really goes into making each episode—from research and interviews to editing and promotion.😅 Some behind-the-scenes mishaps and moments that didn’t make the cut.📼 From the Vaults: Never-before-heard audio from our 2022 interview with Dr Bob Stebbings.🎉 A huge thank you to our listeners and an update about Series 7.Links and Mentions:🎧 Listen back to our episode with Dr Bob Stebbings (S4E43)🎨 Logo designed by Rachel Hudson💬 Leave us a review - here's how💝 Want to support the show?Thanks for being part of the BatChat community.Thank you to Wildcare for sponsoring series 6 of BatChat.Quote BATCHAT at the Wildcare checkout for 10% off all bat detectors and bat boxes.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via [email protected] are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

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  19:33
• Frome After Dark: A Town on the Hunt for Bats

  S6E66 In this episode, we're in the charming market town of Frome in Somerset, where the locals take part in a hands-on citizen science event. Armed with bat detectors, participants are sent out around town to record any bats they spot.What makes this event even more exciting is the use of iNaturalist – a popular platform that collects and shares real-time wildlife data. As participants venture out at dusk, their bat sightings are immediately transmitted to the town hall chambers, where the community can track the results live on a big screen. By the end of the night, everyone reconvenes to see the collective findings and marvel at the variety of bats that call Frome home.See the results from the evening for yourselfUpcoming big bat countsInterested in taking part?Thank you to Wildcare for sponsoring series 6 of BatChat.Quote BATCHAT at the Wildcare checkout for 10% off all bat detectors and bat boxes.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via [email protected] are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

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  35:42
• Restore Nature Now

  S6E65 In this noisy episode, we’re taking you to the heart of the Restore Nature Now march in Central London, where 60,000+ passionate individuals gathered on June 22nd 2024, to demand stronger action for nature. The Bat Conservation Trust formed part of the march in the 'air' block which started adjacent to Hyde Park where Biggles the bat flew high above the crowds. Steve speaks to people as the march progresses to Downing Street and onto Parliament Square to find out what caused them to travel to London for the day.Restore Nature Now websiteBiggles the Bat's Instagram AccountBCT's page on the marchThank you to Wildcare for sponsoring series 6 of BatChat.Quote BATCHAT at the Wildcare checkout for 10% off all bat detectors and bat boxes.WildcareDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via [email protected] are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

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  27:29
• NightWatch: Breaking Barriers to Bat Conservation

  S6E64 In this episode of BatChat, we’re shining a spotlight on NightWatch, a groundbreaking community science project from the Bat Conservation Trust. Launched in 2021, NightWatch is the only initiative of its kind in the UK, helping people uncover the hidden world of nighttime wildlife while breaking down barriers that prevent communities from connecting with nature.Join host Steve Roe as he chats with Siobhan Dempsey at the Restore Nature Now march, where they discuss how NightWatch is making bat surveys more accessible—particularly for people from minority ethnic backgrounds, lower-income communities, and those with disabilities. With thousands of bat echolocation calls recorded across 750+ sites, and over 2,000 people engaged so far, this project is transforming urban conservation.But to keep NightWatch running, we need your help! We must raise £14,000 by June 2025 to ensure more people can discover the wonders of bats in their neighborhoods.🔗 Find out more about NightWatch and how you can support it here: https://www.bats.org.uk/news/2025/02/save-nightwatch-urban-bats-communities🦇 Warwickshire Bat Group Take a look at their website for upcoming events.🦇 Find your local bat group🎧 New to BatChat? We release episodes every other Wednesday, so hit subscribe and join us for more fascinating bat stories!Thank you to Wildcare for sponsoring series 6 of BatChat.Quote BATCHAT at the Wildcare checkout for 10% off all bat detectors and bat boxes.WildcareDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via [email protected] are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

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  24:00
• Farms, Bats & Climate: Connecting Communities

  S6E63 Climate change is shifting the landscape—literally. But what does that mean for wildlife, especially bats? This episode takes us into the Connecting People and Landscapes in a Changing Climate project, a hands-on effort bringing farmers, landowners, and communities together across the South-West to make the countryside work for both people and nature.Thanks to support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project is digging into how nature-friendly farming can help wildlife survive and thrive. We’re talking to the people on the ground—farmers, conservationists, and locals—who are teaming up to survey wildlife, engage communities, and figure out what really works.🎧 Hit play and join the conversation.The project website is hereThank you to Wildcare for sponsoring series 6 of BatChat.Quote BATCHAT at the Wildcare checkout for 10% off all bat detectors and bat boxes.WildcareDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via [email protected] are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

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  43:22

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