Celebrating bats and bat workers

We are delighted to announce that two more bat workers are being inducted into the BCT Hall of Fame for 2024: Sylvia Bevis and Jane Harris.

Sylvia is a stalwart of the Devon Bat Group, having been a member for more than 30 years. Often single-handedly running the Devon Bat Group helpline, she has been involved in most aspects of bat work from bat care and bat walks, National Bat Monitoring Programme, mitigation projects as well as hundreds of roost visits.

Described on the nomination form as “an absolute legend in Devon Bat Group…the embodiment of Devon Bat Group’s motto ‘helping bats in Devon.’ Not only has she done her best for bats herself as an individual, but she has also inspired and supported decades worth of bat lovers, carers and bat workers across the county.”

Jane Harris is another bat worker who has made an “exceptional contribution to bat conversation over many years." Jane is a Volunteer Bat Roost Visitor, bat carer and bat walk leader.

She was instrumental in the establishment of the Norfolk Barbastelle Study Group, leads the county’s participation in the National Nathusius’ Pipistrelle Project and led on the use of the MOTUS system to track their movements along the coast and across the Channel.

Jane also monitors hibernation sites, is the lead bat carer in Norfolk, has a flight cage in her garden to help rehabilitating bats practice their flight and has set up a bat hospital in her house. In 2024 she organised a very successful mini-Conference ‘Working for Norfolk’s bats’.

“Jane is a force to be reckoned with and is impressive in her ability to get (so many!) things done. Her knowledge, expertise, dedication and extraordinary hard graft are truly an inspiration to us all, as she leads the way showing the next generation of bat ecologists how it’s done!”