Helping Red Squirrels

The essence of Ivy & Rigg is that small contributions combine to make big differences. Each item of clothing includes a donation that goes directly to helping fund real wildlife conservation worldwide to help protect red squirrels. 

I have fond memories from my childhood, regularly coming across red squirrels - distinctive by their tiny frame, bushy tail and tufty ears. Too many times our golden retrievers took off after the tree-top teases. Nowadays, they are few and far between - I am definitely guilty of only truly appreciating them now that the Northumberland populations are under threat. 

To me, they are an iconic Northumberland animal and I hope to do what I can through I&R to make a difference in any way to help these bushy-tailed treasures. 

 

Without action the red squirrel will be extinct in England within 10 years.

Red squirrels still exist in Northumberland National Park, but in much lower numbers than a decade ago. It is now rare to see them in areas they used to live in abundance. Once at an all-time high population of 3.5 million individuals, they have now declined to less than 140,000, with the majority residing in Scotland. The Red Squirrel Survival Trust is a national charity established to ensure the conservation and protection of Red Squirrel in the UK. They focus work in areas where reds are seriously endangered, including Northumberland, which holds some of the last remaining red squirrels.