Greggs the bakers has sold 2,200 limited edition iced ginger biscuits in shops throughout Cumbria, to raise money for Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s work to protect the red squirrel. Greggs generously donated 12.4 pence from every biscuit sold, raising a fantastic £275.

Greggs the bakers has sold 2,200 limited edition iced ginger biscuits in shops throughout Cumbria, to raise money for Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s work to protect the red squirrel. Greggs generously donated 12.4 pence from every biscuit sold, raising a fantastic £275.

Red squirrels are found on several of Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves across the county and the money raised will go towards improving living conditions for them at the Trust’s Smardale Gill National Nature Reserve, near Kirkby Stephen.

Staff members Lesley Murphy, Lindsay Murray and Clive Green at the Keswick shop, which sold the most biscuits, presented a cheque to Michelle Waller, Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Development Officer, and Sammy squirrel.

Michelle Waller said: ‘We would like to thank everyone who bought a red squirrel biscuit. It’s a great way for everyone to support local wildlife conservation and Greggs have proved to be an excellent partner in our work. I’d like to encourage people to visit Smardale Gill to try to get a glimpse of this rare and beautiful creature.’

Helen Sanderson from Greggs said: ‘Greggs of Cumbria are very pleased to work with Cumbria Wildlife Trust to help protect the red squirrel. We feel this is an issue close to a lot of people in Cumbria and are pleased that we were able to raise over £275 for the cause’.

Red squirrels are under threat in the north of England and have been wiped out from most southern parts of the country except for small isolated pockets. The red’s decline began when grey squirrels were introduced from North American. Not only do greys out-compete the reds for food, they also carry a deadly virus, squirrel pox, which kills our native reds in weeks but only gives greys a cold.