About the event

Our Annual General Meeting is a great opportunity to meet the Avon Wildlife Trust team, including our new CEO, and hear how your support has made a difference for nature. 

This year we will have updates on the success of our Wilder Woodlands project, progress at our newest land acquisition, Ebdon Farm, and a roundup of our communities and engagement work.

In addition, we’re delighted to welcome Dr Mya-Rose Craig as our keynote speaker. She will also be holding a book signing at the end of the presentations.

Mya-Rose Craig is a 23-year-old British-Bangladeshi birder, environmentalist and race activist campaigning for equal access to nature, to stop biodiversity loss and climate change and to ensure global climate justice.

‘Birdgirl’ tells the story of Mya-Rose Craig, who found solace in nature while growing up with a mother with severe bipolar disorder. She started her Birdgirl blog at age 11, launched Black2Nature at 14, and at 17, became the youngest person to see half the world's bird species and receive an honorary Doctorate of Science.

Mya-Rose also connects people to nature so that they care about fighting the climate crisis. She campaigns against palm oil and plastic pollution and fights for the prioritisation of the human rights of indigenous peoples.

Register to attend by 2 November

The formal AGM meeting is for the following purposes:

As Ordinary Business

1. To receive the Annual Report of the Board of Trustees and Audited Annual Accounts, together with the Auditors’ report, for the year ended 31 March 2025.
2. To elect as Trustees any persons duly proposed for election.

The board is proposing the election as Elected Trustees of Kathyrn Jeffs and Judy Rose.

Kathyrn Jeffs

A lifelong naturalist and Bristol resident for over thirty years, Kathryn is an award-winning wildlife filmmaker whose career with the BBC has spanned landmark series including Attenboroughs Planet Earth, Frozen Planet,  Blue Planet II and most recently on The Americas with Tom Hanks. 

Her work has focused on communicating the beauty, complexity and urgency of the natural world. Alongside filmmaking, she has developed a strong interest in rewilding and habitat restoration, particularly around water and community-led projects across the Southwest. 

Kathryn brings strategic and creative leadership experience, along with her story-telling expertise and is committed to supporting the Trust’s vision of nature’s recovery across Avon and beyond.

Judy Rose

Judy relocated to Bristol in 1995 to help establish Triodos Bank’s UK head office. With a background in IT and project management, she enjoyed a long and successful career at Triodos, retiring as Chief Operating Officer in 2024.

A passionate advocate for wildlife and sustainability, Judy has been a member of Avon Wildlife Trust since moving to the area. She served as a trustee of the Trust’s Folly Farm Centre from 2014 to 2020 and, since 2023, has also been a trustee for a charity delivering music therapy in schools, hospitals, and community settings.

Since retiring, Judy has played a key role, as a community volunteer, in establishing the Warmley Community Nature Reserve – a combined initiative between Avon Wildlife Trust and South Gloucestershire Council. She is dedicated to promoting wildlife gardening as a way to support local biodiversity and enhance community and personal wellbeing.

In addition to her other commitments, Judy volunteers for AgeUK’s digital inclusion program, sings in a community choir, and enjoys developing her own wildlife-friendly garden.

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Under the Companies Act 2006 the serving Auditors, Messrs Burnside, are deemed re-appointed and continue in office.

The Audited Accounts and Trustees’ Annual Report are available on our website via the link below or on request from fundraising@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk

Annual Report and Accounts 2025

Notes

Members are entitled to appoint a proxy to attend, speak and vote at the meeting on their behalf. A proxy need not be a member. To be a valid proxy, an appointment form must be received by the Trust not less than 48 hours before the time of the meeting. For a proxy form please contact fundraising@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk or download one from this link at return it to that email address:

Download a proxy form here

New Elected Trustees (ie Trustees elected at the AGM) can be nominated by the Board of Trustees or by four members of the Trust by way of formal written proposal delivered to the Trust office at 17 Great George Street, Bristol, BS1 5QT no later than 30^th October, together with the written consent of the candidate to act as a Trustee. Candidates are required to provide verification of identity and a declaration of suitability and personal interests.

Without in any way restricting the members’ rights to propose new Trustees in this way, members will note that the Board has not carried out a Trustee recruitment exercise this year as we are not anticipating any vacancies in elected Trustee positions after proposed Trustee re-elections.

Members, volunteers and friends of Avon Wildlife Trust are welcome to attend, only members will be invited to vote. 

Thank you for all that you've achieved for wildlife this year!

For more detailed directions to the venue, please visit Watershed’s website