2025. A new year full of hope for the future of wildlife. As I welcomed in the new year, I was reflecting upon the experiences I have had with your Wildlife Trust during 2024, and why my membership is so important to me, and to the Lancashire Wildlife Trust.

First and foremost is that we don’t just talk about it, we DO it.  Every time I visit a reserve my eyes are opened, and I leave in awe of what is being achieved...

Take the new National Nature Reserve in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan. In September 2022, Natural England declared an area of over 730 hectares held by your Wildlife Trust and other partners to be of national importance. The Flashes of Wigan and Leigh National Nature Reserve was born. The shallow wetlands or “Flashes” formed as a result of mining subsidence. The mines closed, leaving empty land and this now forms the beating heart of the Wigan Greenheart with woodlands, wetlands and green spaces available for all. The work continues with our partners to restore this unique post-industrial landscape and run community projects there to engage people with nature and benefit their wellbeing. Truly something to be proud of.

Your Wildlife Trust manages over 40 reserves.  Access to those places helps us get closer to the nature we care about.  Take the amazing floating visitor village at Brockholes. This is a former quarry transformed into a haven for wildlife.  On my visits there I have seen kestrel, deer, dragonflies and any number of birds. It is a popular location for school visits.  It is conveniently off junction 31 of the M6 and has plenty of accessible trails making it able to be enjoyed by all visitors. And you can get a cuppa and a snack, so you can eat, drink and watch wildlife all at the same time.  You can’t get much closer to nature than that!

I am a volunteer like many others across LWT who volunteer on our reserves, in our cafés, in our offices.  This has given me new opportunities to meet different people and learn about the precious wildlife in our region. Our annual Supporters Day in October was a great success, with an infectious buzz around.  I had a chat with an inspiring volunteer from the Brockholes Visitor Centre who shared with me her enthusiasm for the trust. I came home with two willow sticks in a pot from the Wet Willow session, and they are currently being watched anxiously for signs of life!

Your Wildlife Trust also campaigns on important issues, both regionally and nationally, and celebrates all that nature does for us. Did you see pictures of the Pollinator Parade at Manchester Festival of Nature held each year in June? Now there’s a wonderful colourful celebration if ever there was one!

Last year, I visited Cadishead Moss and saw for myself the restoration work taking place on precious peat habitats, giving home to threatened wildlife.  I saw the drainage ditches being blocked and sphagnum moss being planted. I have written previously about the difference we have made for nature at Seaforth on the edge of the Port of Liverpool. Our annual report is accessible here and I urge you to take a little bit of time to glance through to really understand the depths of the wonderful work done by your trust. I truly think you will be amazed at the impact our charity has on the people and landscapes of the North West.

I am so pleased that I popped into Brockholes one afternoon out of curiosity having read about it in a magazine, and became a member on the spot. Ten years later I still remain in awe of everything that your/my/our Wildlife Trust achieves in protecting our natural heritage for future generations and restoring the places that we and wildlife call home.