Lush Cosmetics releases bath bomb to save Hen Harriers

Ahead of Hen Harrier Day this Sunday (9 August), Lush cosmetics have released a new bath bomb named by TV presenter Chris Packham to help raise funds for the rare raptor.

Called 'Skydancer — Far From The Madding Guns', the bath bomb will help people to contribute personally to the monitoring of the remaining harriers. The money raised from the product will be put towards aiding the RSPB's Hen Harrier LIFE+ project which is satellite-tagging as many Hen Harrier chicks as possible each spring, allowing the birds to be monitored after they leave the nest.

The main event at Hen Harrier Day is free to attend and will take place on Sunday at Goytsclough Quarry, Derbyshire, in the heart of the Peak District, with speakers including Chris Packham and Birdwatch columnist Mark Avery. There will also be a fundraising Hen Harrier Eve event the previous evening at the Palace Hotel, Buxton, with Chris and Mark along with Mark Cocker, Jeremy Deller and Charlie Moores. Tickets for this are priced at £10 and there is a bar until midnight. Many more events are planned across the country, too.

A government-commissioned ecological report has stated that there should be more than 300 pairs breeding on the uplands of northern England. However, in 2013 there were no successful nests and the situation has barely improved with just four successful pairs in 2014 and six pairs in 2015 — a statistic that still worries conservation organisations greatly. The report fingers illegal persecution associated with driven grouse moors as the main cause of Hen Harrier's decline. Six other nests failed, but only won is known to have been due to natural predation.

Lush first got involved with the campaign to protect Hen Harriers in August 2014 when they linked up with the organisers of Hen Harrier Day, an event set up by Chris Packham, Mark Avery and Birders Against Wildlife Crime to highlight the near extinction of one of England's rarest and most beautiful birds of prey. A campaign was set up which saw Lush customers sign a politely worded plea to the Queen asking for her help and support in stopping this illegal activity. Over the course of the campaign 20,000 postcards were signed by Lush customers and hand delivered to Buckingham Palace late last year. LUSH say that the Queen's advisors told them that the Queen thanked them and their customers for the interest in Hen Harriers and that all 20,000 signed postcards would be forwarded to the Right Honourable Elizabeth Truss. Nothing has been heard since 6 November last year.

LUSH say they are proud to be able to help the RSPB in the important work they do — and that they know their customers feel the same way. Paul Morton, Lush campaigner said: "By helping the RSPB tag as many chicks as is legally and ethically possible, we're compiling a much clearer understanding of where these birds are most at risk.

"This should be a project the shooting lobby welcomes with open arms. If they're as concerned about Hen Harriers as they say they are, they won't mind the whole country being updated and informed through the RSPBs Hen Harrier LIFE+ project."

Jeff Knott, the RSPB's Head of Nature Policy, said: "We are delighted that Lush has come up with this imaginative way of raising awareness about Hen Harriers and getting their customers involved in their conservation. Everyone who buys a bath bomb will be making a valuable contribution towards bringing this amazing bird of prey back from the brink of extinction in England."

Anti-RSPB group, You Forgot The Birds, recently issued a statement blaming the wildlife charity for the failure of five Hen Harrier nests this summer due to over-monitoring of these nests. However, Government agency Natural England confirmed the failure was actually down to the males from each pair disappearing while out hunting, thereby forcing the females to leave the eggs while they went and found food for themselves.

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation, CLA, the Countryside Alliance, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, The National Gamekeepers' Organisation, and the Moorland Association all say they want to see more Hen Harriers nesting in England and are calling for DEFRA to implement a plan for their recovery across England.

Buy your bath bomb from the LUSH website.