Local Wildlife Trust launches ‘£1 at Christmas’ appeal to restore wild spaces and protect local wildlife

In a year marked by ‘shrinking habitats, rising pollution and increasing pressure on the natural world’, the Trust is reminding local communities that their spare change can help create a real, lasting impact.

Lancashire’s landscapes are feeling the strain of decades of fragmentation and environmental decline. Many species, once common, now struggle as their homes are degraded or disrupted. One in six species is now at risk of extinction, according to the latest State of Nature report.

To boost efforts to halt this decline, Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) has launched a ‘£1 at Christmas’ campaign, with the message that if locals grouped together to give just £1 each, it could make a difference to the local landscape.

Lydia German, Senior Communications Officer at the Trust, said: “Across our nature reserves, we see the consequences of decisions made long before any of us were here: wetlands drained for industry, woodlands carved apart, and wildlife pushed further into the margins.

“When nature suffers a loss, so do we. But this moment is also full of opportunity. We can choose differently, to repair, restore and rewild.”

Donations raised through the appeal will support a range of essential conservation and habitat restoration work, including maintaining and restoring hedgerows, installing and repairing bird and bat boxes, improving footpaths to reduce disturbance to sensitive habitats and more.

Lydia added: “Winter is an especially challenging season for wildlife. As temperatures drop, animals burn more energy just to stay warm, all while facing dwindling food supplies.

“With shorter days giving them less time to forage, every hour becomes critical for their survival.”

With many households feeling the cost of living squeeze, the Trust stresses that even £1 helps, or simply sharing the campaign to spread the word.

To learn more about the appeal and to donate, visit lancswt.org.uk.