Six Towns Walk to Save the Tiger!

Ten friends, ten miles and six towns – the ‘TigerTime’ walk around the Staffordshire pottery towns this June is now in its third year and aims to raise £1,000 to help save wild tigers from extinction.

The sponsored walk on Saturday June 2 2018 is organised by Anthony Bellamy, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, who is passionate about doing his bit for conservation and for tigers.

The Six Towns Walk (Save the Tiger) 2018 starts at The Gladstone Pottery Museum in Longton, before heading off to Fenton, Stoke, Hanley and Burslem, before finishing at The Wheatsheaf pub in Tunstall.

“It’s Arnold Bennetts’ Five Towns plus Fenton,” said Anthony. “The distance on the map is just over seven miles, but it turns into about ten miles on the day and takes about five to six hours with fuel stops!

The event is in aid of the TigerTime campaign run by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) and set up by our Founder the late wildlife artist and conservationist David Shepherd CBE FRSA (1931-2017). It aims to raise awareness of the desperate plight of tigers around the world and was launched to mark David’s 80^th birthday in 2011.

“In the last century we’ve lost 97% of the world’s wild tigers,” said Georgina Lamb, DSWF’s Head of Programmes and Policy. “We believe there are as few as 3,500 tigers left in the wild – habitat loss and poaching to feed the illegal trade in tiger parts is driving this iconic species to the brink of extinction.”

The TigerTime campaign helps DSWF fund anti-poaching patrols, undercover work to flush out and prosecute illegal traders and more direct tiger conservation. Its petition to end the trade in tiger parts from all sources is designed to draw the world’s attention to the ongoing crisis for wild tigers.

“I look at the planet and what humanity has done to it, poaching, trophy hunting, de-forestation, pollution and so on and I think what a mess!” said Anthony.

“I have always liked the big cats, especially the tiger, since childhood, so I decided to raise money to save the tiger – if we can’t save such a magnificent creature, what chance has the world got?”

The Six Towns TigerTime sponsored walkers will be shaking their collecting tins along the route and they’re holding a fund-raising raffle at The Bridge Street Alehouse in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Local shops and pubs are also collecting to funds to boost the total.

Walking with Anthony Bellamy are family and friends, including Jacki Harding, Mandie Colley, Mia Hogget, Henry Osborne, Leslie Bellamy, Phil Wilshaw and Steven Olivant. Lee Thompson tags along as photographer and Rob Hogget keeps pace in a car in case he’s needed.

You can sponsor the walkers on their dedicated Facebook donation page at: www.facebook.com/donate/445520702527748/ and don’t forget to look out for them on the day!

To find out more about our TigerTime campaign and to add your support visit tigertime.info.