It’s advent calendar time. 24 doors mixing the fight against corruption with hope to save the geese of Sandwell. Door 9 of the story opens today.
The biased report which led directly to the cull of geese. Written by the same parks manager who had lied about the “relocation” of the geese. Again we had to obtain this via The Freedom of Information Act, because Sandwell are not a transparent council when it come to dissemination of decisions made.
It’s advent calendar time. 24 doors mixing the fight against corruption with hope to save the geese of Sandwell. Door 8 of the story opens today.
Media Coverage, and social media outrage!
We told our story to The Black Country Birmingham Evening Mail.
A video was created and also this website and a facebook page. Many people were disgusted with the council’s actions, and particularly the poor statements made by the council which seemed poorly prepared and contradictory.
It’s advent calendar time. 24 doors mixing the fight against corruption with hope to save the geese of Sandwell. Door 7 of the story opens today.
Forge Mill Farm. It was revealed that the geese had been taken to this council tourist attraction where they breed animals for slaughter and sale. It had been denied by the manager of the farm that this had happened. The method of slaughter was not revealed until later. Their necks had been broken, one by one.
It’s advent calendar time. 24 doors mixing the fight against corruption with hope to save the geese of Sandwell. Door 6 of the story opens today.
Ridiculous excuses. At the same time as receiving confirmation that I had been lied to by Sandwell council officers, the cabinet member for Highways and Environment sent me a letter attempting to justify the cull of 220 birds– to make way for a non-native set of other birds. At this point the rationale of protecting public health and public safety appears to be an afterthought in trying to dig their way out of a hole. Through scrutiny, it would only continue to get deeper and deeper.
It’s advent calendar time. 24 doors mixing the fight against corruption with hope to save the geese of Sandwell. Door 5 of the story opens today.
On not believing the story concerning “relocation”, I officially asked via a freedom of information request what had happened to the geese. The response confirmed that the geese had in fact been killed by the contractors on behalf of Sandwell Council in not just Victoria park in 2013 and 2014, but in Dartmouth Park in West Bromwich as well. THUS THIS CONFIRMED THAT SEVERAL OFFICERS OF THE COUNCIL AND THE CONTRACTORS HAD LIED ABOUT THE “RELOCATION”.
It’s advent calendar time. 24 doors mixing the fight against corruption with hope to save the geese of Sandwell. Door 4 of the story opens today.
Arriving in Victoria Park Tipton in August 2014, the same fencing was noted to be set up on the grass. Around 70 geese were missing. I was told once again by the parks manager that the geese had been “relocated” to the Sandwell Valley.
It’s advent calendar time. 24 doors mixing the fight against corruption with hope to save the geese of Sandwell. Door 3 of the story opens today.
I was told by the parks manager at Sandwell that the geese had been “relocated” to the Sandwell valley. The senior countryside ranger at Sandwell claimed to have seen the geese from Tipton released and sent me three pictures taken with his phone and sent via his .gov email address. The location is clearly Forge Mill lake, part of which is an RSPB nature reserve.
It remains my view that these geese were illegally released, yet on enquiry later, the council would make other shocking claims.
It’s advent calendar time. 24 doors mixing the fight against corruption with hope to save the geese of Sandwell. Door 2 of the story opens today.
Around 50 geese were observed to be corralled within a fence. The pest controllers stated that they were putting rings on their “feet”, then claimed that they were putting powder on them to control “pests”, and finally stated that they were being “relocated” to The Sandwell valley. I did not believe a word they were saying and started to ask questions of those within Sandwell council.
It’s advent calendar time. 24 doors mixing the fight against corruption with hope to save the geese of Sandwell. Door 1 of the story opens today.
Four men acting suspiciously in Victoria park Tipton one early morning in 2013. “Pest controllers” who claimed to be rounding up geese to “relocate” them. Out came the video camera, and the story had begun.
Whoosh of Wings
The winter air, cold, dense
Penetrating to the bones
Conveys with rising crescendo
A symphonic skein of geese
Trumpeting beyond
Barren trees, shivering, huddled still.
Whirling overhead in v-formation
I hear the whoosh of wings
Cutting air, propelling sleek
Down-covered craft
To an uncertain destination.
The honking dies off, fades
Crystalline silence returns
Its rightful place restored
As if never disturbed
Clove twain by anserine arms
Fleeting sunward.
Original poetry by Mike Nettles, West Columbia, SC December 2011
photos by Goosesaver/facebook
By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
