A Frome resident who spent 25 years working for the RSPB will give a talk entitled ‘Birds in a Cage’ at Frome Society’s next Summer Extra talk on 25th June.
Derek Niemann is a freelance writer, author and a tutor for Cambridge University. Derek has been a country diary writer for the Guardian since 2003; he switched his column from Bedfordshire to writing from Frome in 2024 and is enjoying exploring the Somerset environment.
Derek will share the story of ‘Birds in a Cage’ a true story of a group of British Prisoners of War. In 1940s Germany they overcome hunger, hardship, fear and stultifying boredom through their shared love of birds and birdwatching. “Their experiences leave them scarred but set them on a path to becoming pioneers of the post-war nature conservation movement,” said Jayne Sadgrove from Frome Society.
Derek’s book of the same name was published in 2012 by Butler and Tanner of Frome.
Entry to the talk is free, but the group is inviting donations to a local charity. The collection at the May talk raised £220 for the Dissenters Cemetery, enabling them to buy a new strimmer to help their work.
Jayne said, “At our June talk, donations are invited for the local charity, Friends of the River Frome, whose focus is on the health of our river and the birds and animals that depend on it.”
The talk will be held at the Frome Cricket Club on Wednesday 25th June. Doors open from 7pm, when the bar opens, and the talk will start at 7.30pm.
To be sure of a seat, book via this website https://buytickets.at/fromesociety/1725226
Pictured: Derek Niemann and his book
