Equipment Fund #15: Bodycams to protect sabs in Derbyshire

As we wrote recently – in a post that more than 30000 people have now read – we reached a major milestone earlier this month: 500 paid subscribers here on Substack.

And as we explained in that same post, every single penny we’re raising through those 500 paid subscriptions is going straight into our Protecting the Wild Equipment Fund – putting ‘eyes in the field’ and empowering people to protect British wildlife by providing groups with much-needed kit like radios, camcorders, trailcams – and of course bodycams.

Used by the police, security guards, and front-line personnel across the UK, bodycams are an incredibly important tool for monitors and sabs because of the deterrent effect they offer and the evidence they can gather. When violent hunt staff or supporters get it into their heads to ‘teach an anti a lesson’ for simply trying to uphold the law and protect wildlife, there is nothing like seeing the blinking red light on an active bodycam to make them think twice (not that that dissuades all the time of course, the most thuggish of terriermen aren’t renowned for even thinking once let alone allowing concerns about lawbreaking and evidence gathering to get in their way…).

Derby Hunt Sabs encounter a lot of these unlovable ‘countryfolk’ as they work to protect wildlife from the likes of the Barlow Hunt (whose annual fundraiser was cancelled just last week after a concerted effort led by Derby Hunt Sabs – see GOOD NEWS: Chesterfield FC shows Barlow Hunt red card) and the notorious Wynnstay Hunt, former home of serial criminal Chris Woodward (see What did it take to convict huntsman Chris Woodward?) and supported by seig heiling Ian Jones (see – Nazi salute hunt supporter pleads guilty to harassment).

When the sabs asked us if we would supply them with new bodycams we swung straight into action and within just a few days the group had received them.

“Not only have Protect the Wild been a great support with our recent campaign asking Chesterfield FC to cancel the Barlow Hunt’s Ball, but they have also recently provided us with some body cameras. As well as filming evidence of illegal activity, hunt sabs require bodycams for their own protection. Despite us taking non-violent action against the hunt, we find ourselves on the receiving end of aggression from members of the hunt and their support.  

We now have body cameras that have the memory and battery to last all day. We are recording all the time we are in the field. We also have the ability to record GPS coordinates along with our video, in case it is needed as evidence. !

• All images Derby Hunt Sabs. For more information please go to the Derby Hunt Sabs Facebook page at /derbyhuntsaboteurs/

Protecting wildlife is difficult, takes huge personal sacrifice, and can be dangerous. That’s why we set up our Equipment Fund in the first place – so we could all come together and show just how much we value the likes of Derby Hunt Sabs and the thirteen other groups we’ve been privileged to support in the last six months.

We are only able to give much-needed equipment like these radios and bodycams to monitors and organisations because of paid subscriptions on our Substack. While all our online content is free, any money we do receive from paid subscriptions is ringfenced and used to put ‘eyes in the field’. It’s a simple idea – but the best ideas usually are! If you’d like to know more we have explained it all in our post “What do we mean by “Empowering people to protect British wildlife“?

With your support we will be giving out many more pieces of equipment to groups over the coming months and years. And we will always keep you up to date with how your support is directly helping wildlife!

If you’re an individual or organisation working in the field and would like our support, please apply to our fund. Our T&Cs are here and use the online application form on the same page. We’d love to hear from you.