Page 8 - BBOWT Annual Review 2017-18

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com mpeopleand u nities

Last year we ran more than 400 public events for
people and communities to get to know their local
nature reserves and green spaces better. More
children than ever are discovering the thrill of nature.

O ur events reached more than 39,000 people, helped
in part by the mass engagement of our Oxford and
Milton Keynes Festivals of Nature.

The two-week Oxford Festival of Nature in June welcomed This year we launched our Investors in Wildlife scheme for companies
thousands of people across more than 65 events. The Wild Fair at the to work more closely with BBOWT while boosting employee health
Oxford University Museum of Natural History is the biggest event and wellbeing. All existing corporate partners transferred to the
and attracted a record 7,500 visitors in 2017. scheme and we recruited an additional 14 members, bringing the
total to 22.
Last year was the first Milton Keynes Festival of Nature. Launched
in conjunction with The Parks Trust and the Milton Keynes Natural In January we hosted the first Investors in Wildlife event. More than
History Society, July’s week-long programme drew in around 1,000 40 companies took up this networking opportunity and heard from
people from across the area, many new to the Wildlife Trust. global leaders in Corporate Social Responsibility. We will continue to
deliver an events programme to explain how businesses and people
The following month we ran the Wildlife Zone at BBC Countryfile Live working in them can benefit from improving their relationships with
for the second year running. This four-day event at Blenheim Palace the natural environment.
is a convenient and effective way to reach a new audience. More
than 20,000 visitors spent time in the Wildlife Zone where we
worked alongside other conservation organisations to offer
wildlife-friendly advice.

Public events held as part of the Wild Banbury project included a
very successful family fun day in the town’s Spiceball Park. Ongoing
funding means we can now look to expand the project to other sites,
connecting more volunteers and residents to their local wildlife.

Time spent in nature does everyone good, but it
can be life-changing for those with dementia, as
evident at the Nature Memories Café run at the
Nature Discovery Centre. Here weekly drop-in
sessions combine the relaxing power of
nature with nature crafts, refreshments and
social interaction.

Supporting BBOWT gives businesses the
opportunity to reinforce their sustainability
credentials, and us further capacity to restore
wildlife habitats.

8 Annual Review 2017/2018 | Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust