Page 9 - Annual Review 2014-15

Inspiring others

Bringing conservation to life for local people

Encouraging children and their parents to the Pye Charitable Settlement. More than 1,200
be curious about the natural world around people attended events, including a Wild Fair,
them is fundamental to our work. We engaged bat and moth safaris and crayfish trapping on
with more than 4,000 people through our the River Cherwell. The enthusiasm generated
community-based projects Wild Oxford and the by the festival’s success encouraged BBOWT
Oxford Festival of Nature, the Big Nature Count to hold the 2015 Oxford Festival of Nature on
at the Nature Discovery Centre, Thatcham, as a more ambitious scale over two weeks. This
well as our regular education programmes and June over 5,800 people attended more than 60
pre-school Nature Tots sessions, and Family events held across the city.
Fun events at College Lake, Woolley Firs, the
Nature Discovery Centre and Sutton Courtenay The Big Nature Count at the Nature
Environmental Education Centre. Across the Discovery Centre gave more than 250 people
three counties education staff delivered Go including many children, the chance to
Wild at Your School outreach sessions. become citizen scientists discovering small
mammals, pond creatures and butterflies. The
In 2014 BBOWT staged the Oxford Festival 20th anniversary of the opening of the Nature
of Nature for the first time, with grant support Discovery Centre was celebrated with children’s
from Oxford City Council, Science Oxford and displays marking World Wetlands Day.

Key highlights

315

events organised across
three counties

46

groups of volunteers work
across our reserves

17,000

volunteer days, equivalent
to 65 full-time staff

80,000

visitors came to
College Lake

11,655

schoolchildren visited our
four education centres

9