Twitchers hoping to catch sight of a rare bird may have gotten more than they bargained for after a wildlife event was mixed up with one for nudists. Organisers of the Cumbria Nature Festival have urged visitors to 'dress appropriately' after their annual gathering for naturalists was confused with one aimed at naturists.
Event Details
The event is being staged from May 8 to 10 at a site in Workington and will feature a range of guest speakers as well as family activities, games, and crafts. Guided walks, workshops, and conservation talks are also on the agenda, along with storytelling sessions for youngsters. Organisers said the event is dedicated to 'fostering a deeper connection between people and the natural world'. They said they believed 'everyone should have the opportunity to experience nature-based interactions, and we aim to make these experiences accessible to all'.
Confusion Clarified
But organisers were forced to issue what they called an 'important clarification' and offered a refund to anyone who had 'booked in error' following the confusion. Sam Griffin, a member of the organising committee, said the announcement followed a 'misunderstanding' and that 'we haven't ultimately had to refund anyone so we're hopeful our offering has been sufficient to retain their interest, despite imposing a dress code'.
In a Facebook post, the event said: 'After a recent enquiry we need to clarify - Cumbria Nature Festival is primarily aimed at NATURALISTS… not NATURISTS. Whilst we aim to be as inclusive as possible, and certainly do not judge anyone, we are aiming the event at wildlife enthusiasts. Please do dress appropriately.'
Public Response
News of the mix-up was first reported on local paper website 'Cumbria Crack'. Mr Griffin told the BBC the group felt compelled to speak up to prevent any further confusion. 'People hear 'naturalist' and they interpret it as something else. It's a common misunderstanding, I suppose,' he said. 'We're just wildlife enthusiasts rather than anything else. We've had quite a good response to the post - we gained a lot of followers on the Facebook account and that's generated ticket sales.'
Cumbria's Wildlife Offerings
Mr Griffin said he believed Cumbria has lots to offer wildlife fans 'but is perhaps not given the same attention as other parts of the country'. 'It's not just the Lake District National Park,' he added. 'There's a lot going on in Cumbria generally. It's a beautiful area to explore. The Solway Firth has wintering geese and swans, and the industrial coast has the Small Blue butterfly at Maryport, Workington and Barrow, which is a little gem. The festival will have experts from across the country, but we have a wealth of local expertise as well. The idea is to get everyone with an interest in the natural world together.' Tickets are £5.
