A sponsored walk to help whales and dolphins will be taking place at Barbury Castle on June 22 starting at 10am.

At Barbury Castle last year we had a good turn out of walkers and raised over £1,000. We are hoping that this year we can raise even more.

As well as funds we are aiming to highlight the cruel and unnecessary act of keeping whales and dolphins in captivity.

In captivity, whales and dolphins suffer extreme mental and physical stress, which is revealed through aggression, lower life expectancy and higher infant mortality than in the wild. Many whales and dolphins that can be seen in marine parks today have been caught from the wild, and captures continue to take place. Capture methods can be extremely cruel, often resulting in injury or death and usually in separation from family members. Whales and dolphins are highly social and intelligent animals, it is impossible to accommodate their needs in captivity.

Yet millions of people visit marine parks to watch captive whales and dolphins perform, or to feed and touch or swim with them.

You can help whales and dolphins by never going to a marine park and by taking part in this year's Walk for Whales and Dolphins.

Walks will be taking place all over the country. There will be two walks to choose from at Barbury Castle five or eight miles. To receive your sponsor form or for more information contact WDCS at Brookfield House, 38 St Pauls Street, Chippenham, SN15 1LY, Tel: 01249 499 500, email: info@wdcs.org or phone local contact Marilyn Harrison 01793 644796.

M Harrison

Toothill

Swindon