Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1262267
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 21 JUNE 2020 11 CULTURE NATURE Some birds are spectacular to look at, others are not. Short-toed larks (M. bilbla) are solidly among the Nots, as they're small and brown. Yet they are the soul of our countryside, their bubbling notes so typical of our open spaces, as these ground-nesting birds announce their territory often from high up in the air. It is hard for the Maltese naturalist to imagine our steppe and fallow fields without hearing the lark's song high overhead. But imagine we must, because our beloved bilbla is declining fast as development daily encroaches on our open spaces. Except in parts of Gozo, the short-toed lark has disappeared from most everywhere. What a great loss! Text: Victor Falzon Photo: Aron Tanti 716. SHORT-TOED LARK Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 612 Find out more: www.foemalta.org/goodfood Spazji Miftuha: A coalition of groups has been formed in response to a lobby's sustained pressure on the open spaces of l-Ahrax and Mizieb. Spazji Miftuha ("Open Spaces") is made up of NGOs and local groups dedicated to the preservation of public spaces in Malta, also tackling issues related to the conservation of ecological features, the management of such sites and transparency. Our petition has now over 16,000 signatures. Help us keep Malta's green spaces open for the enjoyment by the general public - sign the petition now and share it with your friends! THE National Book Council is inviting established and emerging poets to participate in the second edition of the Doreen Micallef National Poetry Contest. The contest has been launched in 2019 by the National Book Council with the aim of further raising the profile of poetry in Malta and celebrate the best poetry written in the Maltese language. The contest is adjudicated by a new set of judg- es appointed each year by the National Book Council. The jury evaluates all poems anony- mously according to a set of criteria which con- sider authenticity, imagination, distinctiveness of voice, and original use of rhythm and figures of speech. The contest awards three top prizes; the win- ning poem will be awarded with a cash prize of €1,000 and the two runners-up will be receiving a voucher which can be redeemed in local book- shops. The contest winners will be announced and awarded their prize at an official ceremony during the 2020 Malta Book Festival taking place between 11-15 November as part of its cultural programme. As a single poem contest, applicants are re- quired to submit no more than one original and previously unpublished poem in Maltese which does not exceed 36 verses in length. All entrants are encouraged to read the contest regulations available at the National Book Council website carefully and in their entirety before entering. Complete applications, containing an applica- tion form and four copies of the submitted po- em, signed only by a nom de plume, should be be sent by post to the National Book Council, Central Public Library, Prof. Joseph J. Mangion Street, Floriana FRN1800 by the application pe- riod deadline of Monday 24 August 2020 at mid- day. At a time when COVID-19 restrictions may hinder the receipt of the applications, please submit also a scanned and signed copy of your application by email. Requests for clarifications and electronic sub- missions should be addressed to Andrew Ricca at andrew.ricca@ktieb.org.mt Doreen Micallef National Poetry Contest open for entries HSBC Malta is supporting the Richmond Foundation's Gift of Therapy initiative with a donation of €5,000. The Gift of Therapy initiative provides free therapy sessions to people in the community who need such support but who are unable to pay for it. The initiative has been re- launched following a signifi- cant increase in demand for the Foundation's services dur- ing the COVID-19 crisis. Despite the challenging envi- ronment, the Foundation and its employees have continued delivering services to persons in need of well-being support. This donation continues to build on HSBC Malta's on- going collaboration with the Richmond Foundation, which provides free mental health and well-being services to more than 2,000 people per year in Malta and Gozo. Stephania Dimech Sant, CEO at Richmond Foundation said the foundation greatly appre- ciated HSBC's kind gesture immens ely and believes it further cements the valuable relationship the two organisa- tions have built over the years. "COVID-19 has impacted Richmond significantly as can be seen from the fact that our 1770 helpline has gone from receiving 200 calls per month to 500 calls per week," she said. "Delivering the necessary professional support to every person in Malta and Gozo who needs it requires both people and money so we hope this donation also serves to en- courage others to contribute to our Gift of Therapy initia- tive." Caroline Buhagiar Klass, Head of Human Resources and Corporate Sustainability at HSBC Malta, said HSBC has always greatly valued its rela- tionship with the Richmond Foundation and we continue to support the organisation. "We recognise the positive impact that professional ther- apy and well-being support brings and are delighted to be able to provide assistance to the Foundation's Gift of Ther- apy initiative for the benefit of people in the community," she said. HSBC supports Richmond Foundation's Gift of Therapy