Badger group logs on to laptop gift

Some of Wakefield’s most elusive and protected creatures are “sett” for a brighter future – after a gift from the region’s gas mains company.

Campaigners from Wakefield District Badger Group have been awarded one of almost 50 laptop computers given to charities by Northern Gas Networks.

The portable machine will help workers map the position of known badger setts electronically so that data is at their fingertips at the touch of a button.

The gift was made by Northern Gas Networks, who recently replaced dozens of laptops as part of a major investment in its IT systems, and donated its old machines to good causes nominated by its staff.

Mick Birkinshaw, field officer for Wakefield District Badger Group, said the IBM Thinkpad would help the group’s 30 volunteers modernise their filing system, digitise their records and give presentations to local groups and schools about its work.

“We are a voluntary group so we rely very much on gifts like this from local businesses. In Wakefield we have a steadily growing badger population which means we have a lot of monitoring to do. We also offer advice to landowners and sometimes build artificial setts to re-home badgers,” he said.

John O’Grady, Communications Director for Northern Gas Networks, which is based in Leeds, said it was great to see the laptop being put to such good use.

“The work Wakefield District Badger Group does in safeguarding this protected species is absolutely great. Badgers are one of the many animals we have to take extra care to protect whenever we build new pipelines in fields and hedgerows.

“When we replaced our laptops we really wanted them to go to places that could make good use of them, because they were still in excellent condition. I hope it serves Wakefield’s badger group well.”

Northern Gas Networks and its partner United Utilities run the gas emergency service in Yorkshire, the North East and northern Cumbria. Anyone who smells gas at any time of the day or night should call free on 0800 111 999.

Anyone who is interested in helping the badger group with their work can contact them on wakefieldbadgergroup@blueyonder.co.uk