Fundraising events have always been an important part of the BTA’s activities. The aim of these events is to give BTA members an opportunity to meet up, have an entertaining evening and of course also raise some money to help fund our activities. We have recently also found it a good way of bringing in new members to the BTA. In addition to our annual Tagine and Quiz evening we held a a remarkably successful “60s & 70s Revival Party”. This is the sort of event that we expect to hold on an occasional rather than annual basis.
ABOUT THE BTA
Membership of the BTA is open to all who support our aims and objectives and who live, work, attend an educational establishment in, or have a close or historical association with, Beaulieu, Exbury or East Boldre, all of which are based in the New Forest.
The New Forest covers almost 120 sq miles (76,800 acres), making it the largest contiguous area of unsown vegetation in lowland Britain. It is one of the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the south of England, covering southwest Hampshire and southeast Wiltshire. It was created as a royal forest by William the Conqueror in about 1079 for the royal hunt, mainly of deer. It was controversially creates at the expense of more than 20 small hamlets and isolated farmsteads; sense it was 'new' in his time as a single compact area.
The New Forest is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, an EU Special Area of Conservation, a Special Protection Area for birds and a Ramsar Site (being a Wetland area of International Importance). It also has its own Biodiversity Action Plan.
Cattle, ponies and donkeys famously roam freely across the open heathland and in many of the New Forest villages. Deer, pheasants, otters and many other birds and mammals occupy the forest and are a delight to both residents and visitors alike. It is a major holiday attraction, attracting some 13 million visitors each year from around the world.