top of page

TV-RADIO PUBLICITY FOR DRAGONFLIES

 

Ever since starting work on Ashton Water Dragonfly Sanctuary in 1989, I've concentrated on getting the message across to the general public that dragonflies are very beautiful, fascinating, and in trouble worldwide. The first success was a substantial article in The Daily Telegraph in September 1990, followed by another article in the The Independent the following Spring. Since then I have broadcast regularly on BBC Radio 4 (The Natural History Programme, Thinking Aloud, etc)  BBC TV (Nature Detectives, Inside Out, Hands-On Nature  Wetlands, Bill Oddie Goes Wild, Countryfile, Springwatch etc), Anglia TV (Country Days, Anglia News), Central TV (Heart of the Country etc) and The Open University (Wicken Fen  A Centre for Biodiversity), as well as frequent spots on local radio and TV news.

 

      This has given me the chance to work with TV and radio personalities including Chris Packham, Bill Oddie, Kate Humble, John Craven, Charlie Dimmock, Robin Page, Paul Heiney, Laurie Taylor, Kelvin Boot and Lenny Henry, all of whom have helped to publicise dragonflies. 

 

      In March 2014, I presented ‘Bewitched by Dragonflies’ in the Nature series on BBC Radio 4. I broadcast on Radio 4’s Mid-Week with Libby Purves in July 2014, and contributed to David Attenborough’s Sky TV film “Conquest of the Skies, Episode 1”, released in 2015.

 

Click here to listen to the 'Bewitched by Dragonflies' radio show.

 

Click here to listen to the 'Mid-Week with Libby Purves' radio show.

 

Click here to watch the 'Conquest of the Skies' video.

 

Go to www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Odonata/ for clips of my work with Chris Packham and Bill Oddie

 

      I also give talks to schools, Natural History Societies, Rotarians, Wildlife Trusts U3A, Probus and WI groups.  I have worked in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh. I give regular lectures in the Attenborough Studio at the Natural History Museum, London. I speak regularly at the RSPB Bird fair at Hopetoun House Edinburgh, and at the British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water, where The Dragonfly Project has had a Dragonfly Stand every year since 1998, and where the British Dragonfly Society continues this tradition.

      I've been photographing dragonflies since 1985 (ie well before the digital age) and have had images reproduced in many publications.

      My constant aim has been to raise public awareness of dragonflies and I take every opportunity to do so.

​

      On the 4th of September 2016, BBC Radio 4 repeated a 'Living World' programme entitled ’The Dance of the Dragonfly' originally made at Ashton Water Dragonfly Sanctuary in 1994, now top-and-tailed by Chris Packham. And later that month, on Tuesday the 20th, BBC Radio 4 broadcast ‘Dragonfly’ in their 'Natural Histories' series. In both broadcasts, Ruary was the key figure. 'Dragonfly' was repeated again on the Sunday 21st June 2020. To listen tol'Dragonfly',  Google: BBC/Natural Histories/Dragonfly

​

In April 2018, Ruary broadcast on Radio New Zealand 'Dragonflies -Masters of Flight' with Alison Ballance. To listen to this, Google: RadioNZ Dragonflies Master of Flight

      Go to TV-RADIO GALLERY for pictures.

bottom of page