Wildlife Champions
Wildlife Champions
Wildlife Champions Programme 2025 - 2028 Launches This Summer!
Calling all nature lovers! Would you like to do something positive for nature with your community? Would you like support to help make your vision a reality?
Whether you're a fully fledged group or just starting out, the Wildlife Champions Programme is a free training programme and peer support network that's here to help you bring more nature into your neighbourhood.
Wildlife Champions
Wildlife Champions Programme 2023 - 2025
From planting for pollinators, bringing people together to share their memories of nature, creating a community garden, or organising walks and talks, our year-long monthly training programme can help you bring your ideas to life! Training sessions include - 'An Intro to Basic Ecology', 'Community Engagement & Organising', 'An Intro to Wildlife Monitoring', along with seasonal events such as dawn chorus walks and Solstice celebration.
In the first instance, we'd like to support Wildlife Champions in the following postcodes: BS1, BS3, BS4, BS6, BS7, BS10, BS11, BS15, BS16, BS30, BS31, BS32, BS34, BS37 which cover areas of Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
Would you like to find out more? Come along to the Wildlife Champions Taster Day or Online Talk!
Taster Day, Sat 28th June, 10am - 12pm, Grow Wilder SOLD OUT
Taster Talk, Thurs 10th July, 6 - 7pm, Online
Or get in touch with the team:
Email: wildlifechampions@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk
Tel: 07421 226079
*Please note that we may not be able to take on all interested Champions this year, but we will be staggering recruitment across the project until March 2028. Due to popular demand (wow! thankyou for all of your enquiries!) there will be a selection process based on the potential positive impacts for wildlife, priority areas, and the commitment level required. We'll ask everyone to fill out a simple form via email or phone call which we'll use to help select the first group of Champions - if unsuccessful this time, there'll be more opportunities to get involved as the project progresses.
If you're unsure about whether it's right for you please do still get in touch - we can connect you up with other nature-based groups and projects in your area and signpost you to a whole array of resources!
How do I know if the Wildlife Champions Programme is right for me?
| Who is it for? | What is the commitment? | What are the benefits for you? |
| People who care about the natural world | 1 x morning a month to attend network and learning events | FREE training and development programme |
| People who want to make a positive change to the place that they live | 1 x mentoring meeting every 8 weeks with AWT in your neighbourhood | Bespoke mentoring to support the development of your ideas, at a place that works for you |
| You don't need to be an expert! We will support you. | A willingness to learn and share your learning | Hands on support to create spaces for nature in your own community and access to wildlife kit |
| People who are able to commit to the network for at least 6 months | Delivery of a community project that benefits nature | A growing and supportive network of Wildlife Champions |
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Optional extras |
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| Online webinars and training | Network socials, seasonal events and celebrations | Trips and events to discover the nature and wildlife in our local area |
Our goal is to make Avon a much wilder and more natural place and we believe that everyone should enjoy the benefits of being surrounded by nature. Actions at a local level are key - they create valuable stepping stones for wildlife and link up larger green spaces where nature can thrive. As part of the Team Wilder movement our aim is to have a Wildlife Champion in every postcode across the Avon region (Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset) by 2030.
We are excited to see local people stepping forward to give nature a voice and make a real and lasting difference for nature where they live.
The 2025 - 2028 Programme has been made possible with thanks to National Lottery Players at The National Lottery Community Fund.
The National Lottery Community Fund
Wildlife Champions Programme 2023 - 2025
Between early 2023 – March 2025, with thanks to National Lottery Players at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we were able to support an initial network of 12 Wildlife Champions who have been developing projects to connect people and nature in their neighbourhoods, creating more space for wildlife to thrive and more opportunities for people to notice and celebrate nature in their day to day lives.
This project has been made possible thanks to National Lottery players at The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Watch the Wildlife Champions Programme Film
Listen to the Team Wilder Podcast
Hannah Bunn
Episode 1 - shines a light on the Team Wilder movement and the importance of celebrating and noticing nature in our day to day lives.
Episode 2 - talking about the Wildlife Champions Programme, what a Wildlife Champion is, what the programme offers and how it's helping to mobilise action for nature across the Avon region.
Meet the Champions
Find out more about each of the Wildife Champions and their projects over on our blog.
Emma Fennell Hodson, Wildlife Champions Co-ordinator (c) Holly Jones
Wildlife Champions (c) Holly Jones
Wildlife Champions
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