Event details
Date
About the event
Herefordshire Wildlife Trust invites supporters, members, and the local community to an exciting Discovery Day, a unique opportunity to learn about the Trust's wide-ranging projects, campaigns, and efforts to restore nature across the county. This special event, which also includes our Annual General Meeting (AGM), offers a chance to explore, the Trust’s achievements, future goals, and how our collective work is making a real difference for wildlife in Herefordshire.
The day kicks off with a guided tour of Bodenham Lakes with Park Ranger Rosie Wilson.
In Bodenham Parish Hall we will have various stalls that will showcase the activities of our branches, project teams, and services. Whether you are interested in specific species conservation, habitat restoration, or community engagement, there will be something for everyone.
We will have a pop up shop, as well as a cafe serving drinks, cake and light lunches, plus a raffle, with some fabulous prizes soon to be announced!
The Discovery Day features a series of short talks on a range of topics designed to delve deeper into our projects and conservation work. These talks, hosted by our project leads, are a fantastic way to learn about our future plans and the broader environmental challenges we face in Herefordshire.
Our AGM, will allow members to engage in governance matters and hear directly from trustees about the past year's successes and future objectives. The day will culminate in an panel discussion: “When conservation increasingly is focused on landscape-scale projects, rewilding and nature-friendly farming, how can communities and individuals play their part in taking action?”
****This is a free event and all are welcome to attend - you can drop in and out of the sessions but please book tickets to the parts of the day you wish to attend, so we know how many to expect (limited spaces). We look forward to seeing you there!****
Booking
Know before you go
Dogs
Contact us
9.45 – 11am: Bodenham Lake Guided Walk
10.30-11.00 - Nature Recovery Projects Updates
Laura Beasley - Nature recovery Manager
11.15am - 11.45am: WildPlay and Youth Action for Nature with Julia Morton, Youth & Wellbeing Officer
In this talk Julia will share the great work the Trust does with children, from Wild Adventure Club at Queenswood to nature based play sessions in the community. She will also talk about our growing focus on working with young people aged 16 – 25 and why it is more important than ever to engage young people in nature and conservation.
12.00 - 12.30pm: Lugg Meadow Species Recovery Project with David Hutton
With David Hutton, Nature Reserves Project Manager
12.45PM - 1.15PM: Local Wildlife Site Update 2025 Toby Fountain, Nature Recovery Officer
Toby will discuss The 2024-25 Local Wildlife Site Project funded by Herefordshire Council, a project whose broad aim is to survey, increase the protection and assist in the conservation of Herefordshire’s most valuable sites for wildlife. He will cover some of the exciting wildlife discoveries and observations made during this year’s project, including a breeding colony of the rare small-pearl bordered fritillary butterfly, a plethora of rare breeding birds including grasshopper warbler, little ringed plover and pied flycatcher, previously unknown examples of temperate rainforest and some magnificent species rich grasslands with seas of orchids.
Toby says: "On the basis of such observations, I will discuss my changing perceptions about the unique ecological character of Herefordshire, which I believe to be a far more exciting region for wildlife than most people realise, as well as discuss the exciting conservation work being carried out by the various landowners, farmers and commoners I have worked with this year, which are having a very meaningful impact on our county’s beautiful wildlife."
1.30 - 2.30PM< Annual General Meeting
Agenda
i) Apologies
ii) Minutes of the 61st Annual General Meeting held on 8th October 2024*
iii) Matters Arising from the Minutes
iv) Presentation by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees’ Report for 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025**
v) Presentation by the Hon. Treasurer of the Accounts for 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025**
vi) Report of the Auditors, Messrs Thorne Widgery.
vii) Appointment of Auditors for 2025/6
x) Closing remarks from the Chief Executive
xi) Any other business
Under Section 324 of the Companies Act 2008, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust Ltd. a member is entitled to appoint another person as his/her proxy to exercise all or any of their rights to attend, speak and vote at a meeting of the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust. Forms of Appointment of Proxy may be obtained from the office of the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust.
* Minutes of last year’s AGM will be published on our website in advance of the AGM
** The full Annual Report and financial accounts will be available in advance of the AGM on our website.
2.30 - 2.45pm: Volunteer Awards
2.45 - 3pm: Raffle
We call the winners of our raffle. May thanks to all the businesses who have donated prizes. All money raised to go to our Nature Recovery Fund.
3.15 - 4.30pm: panel discussion
“When conservation increasingly is focused on landscape-scale projects, rewilding and nature-friendly farming, how can communities and individuals play their part in taking action?”
Panel to be announced soon - Watch this space!