Graduates’ Work Featured in Conservation Book

Illustrations by graduates Beth Garnett and Suzy Sharpe are featured in a new book which celebrates the UK's most endangered birds.

Red67 is a collaboration between 67 authors and 67 artists, which aims to raise awareness of the 67 birds on the UK's Red List as well as raising funds to support conservation work.

Beth and Suzy, who are both MA Illustration: Authorial Practice graduates, will see their work alongside the likes of Chris Packham, Ann Cleeves, Samuel West, Natalie Bennett, David Lindo, Gill Lewis, Darren Woodhead, Carry Akroyd, Jane Smith and Patrick Barkham.

Beth said: "I am really excited to be taking part in such an important project for UK's wildlife. Red67 is the brainchild of @Yolobirder, an enigmatic ambassador for birds who I first connected with on Twitter. We'd all rather the book wasn't needed at all, and some of the statistics are shocking to say the least. My own illustration features the Tree Sparrow, numbers of which are down 96%. But Red67 also highlights some of the amazing and dedicated work being done by conservationists across the country to try to improve the situation for our wildlife.

It is a real coming together of people who are passionate about these birds and their future. While the situation for much of our natural world is dire, this book is also about celebration and hope, and it is an honour to have my work included alongside these efforts."

Proceeds from the book, which is published by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), will go towards the work of the BTO and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and their efforts to save these species from extinction, with the book's artwork also raffled to raise money. You can order a copy of the book from the BTO website.