Membership FAQs

Goldfinches

Goldfinches by Jon Hawkins

Membership FAQs

Our Membership Team has answered your most frequently asked questions.

Membership

How do I become a member?

You can join by various methods.

How do I get in touch with you to make a change to my membership details?

You can easily update your contact details, the amount you donate and anything else to do with your membership by getting in touch with our friendly Membership Team on 01865 788300 or by email us

How do I leave a legacy to BBOWT?

Leaving a legacy in your Will to BBOWT will make a huge difference to the wildlife you love! Legacies have been used in the past to buy precious natural habitats, improve reserves, provide bird hides and help volunteers make places for wildlife.

Large or small, your gift will make a difference. Download our Guide to Making a Will booklet which is full of helpful information about making or changing your Will.

Get in touch with the membership office for more details or to receive a hard copy of our booklet.

Find out more about leaving a legacy

What do I receive if I become a member?

New members who pay by Direct Debit receive a copy of our full-colour, exclusive handbook to BBOWT nature reserves, Your Wild Guide, free of charge.

All members receive a copy of our magazine Wildlife News three times a year with our diary of events in the three counties.

Watch members also receive a copy of the junior magazine Wildlife Watch and a poster four times a year.

Why must I pay by direct debit in order to receive a reserves handbook?

Paying by Direct Debit helps us to keep our administration costs low and allows us to spend more of our income on vital conservation work across the three counties.

What should I do if I have a complaint about my membership or about BBOWT?

You can read our Complaints Procedure here.

How does BBOWT benefit from my donation at the car park at College Lake?

If you make a donation it may be used as Contributory Third Party Payments to Landfill Companies in order to unlock Landfill Community Funds. For each £1 donated we can unlock £10 to invest in habitat conservation projects across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. By making a donation you consent to this payment.

Why have I received a leaflet about joining BBOWT when I'm already a member?

From time to time we send out mailings to households within our three counties to ask people about their local wildlife, raise awareness of BBOWT and offer the opportunity to become a member of the Trust. These mailings are a good way for us to find out people's views and concerns about wildlife and also to increase our support so we can do more to protect wildlife and habitats. They are delivered by Royal Mail as unaddressed mail which means we are unable to exclude members from receiving them. If you have received one of these leaflets through your letterbox and are already a member, please do pass it on to a friend who might be interested in learning more about BBOWT's work.

BBOWT Reserves

Which are the nearest reserves to me?

You can find full details of all BBOWT’s reserves, including travel information, in our reserves handbook, Your Wild Guide, which is available to all members who pay by Direct Debit. Alternatively search our reserves page to find reserves close to you.

Find a nature reserve 

Which are the best reserves to see at this time of year?

Visit our Seasonal Spectacles page for plenty of information on the best reserves to visit at different times of the year, or consult your handbook, Your Wild Guide, which lists our reserves under categories such as All-year Interest and Seasonal Interest.

Seasonal Spectacles

How can I let you know about an exciting wildlife sighting on one of your reserves?

Definitely send us a tweet @bbowt or let us know on our Facebook page.

Did you manage to get a photograph? We'd love to see it! Please upload it to our Flickr group and tag it with the reserve name.

If you have wildlife records collected on BBOWT nature reserves that you would like to share with us, please contact data@bbowt.org.uk.

Find out more about our work monitoring wildlife.

I want to let you know about a problem on one of your reserves

Please call 01865 775476 or email info@bbowt.org.uk and we can put you in touch with the relevant person.

Why must my dog be kept on a lead on BBOWT’s reserves?

The majority of BBOWT’s reserves welcome dogs on a lead. This is because unleashed dogs, however well behaved, can disturb wildlife and cause damage to plants.

Do I need to be a member of BBOWT to visit your reserves?

No. All of our reserves are open to members and non-members. But as a member you will be helping to protect the wildlife on our reserves, now and in the future.

Which of your reserves require a permit to visit?

You require a permit to visit Swains Wood and Windsor Hill. Permits are obtained by calling 01865 775476 or emailing info@bbowt.org.uk

You can get more information about these reserves by clicking the link below.

Permit-only reserves

BBOWT's Work

What is BBOWT's position on High Speed Two/the badger cull?

Please click here for our position on:

High Speed 2
Badgers & Bovine TB

You can find information about our current campaigns, and stay up to date with our work by reading our news page.

Latest news

Ways to help wildlife

I am interested in volunteering. Who do I contact?

Have a look at our full list of volunteering opportunities. In the first instance you should contact the leader of the work party you are interested in. If you have any further questions please get in touch on 01865 775476 or email us

See our volunteering opportunities

What can I do in my garden to help wildlife?

Lots of things! From choosing plants for pollinators to digging a pond, there are many ways that you can make your garden more wildlife friendly.

Help wildlife in your garden 

You can also visit the Wild About Gardens website for even more ideas for your wildlife garden.

Wild About Gardens

Help! I found an injured animal or bird.

BBOWT does not have the resources to help with individual cases of animal injury. If you have an injured animal or bird, please call either:

  • RSPCA: 0300 1234 999
  • St. Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital: 01844 292292

How can I join BBOWT?

First of all, a massive thank you from all of us here at BBOWT for choosing to support us! You will be helping to protect all the wonderful wildlife that the Trust works very hard to protect.

There are various ways that you can join us:

  • Join online
  • Call our membership team on 01865 788300 (weekdays 9am-5pm)
  • Write to us at Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, The Lodge, 1 Armstrong Road, Littlemore, Oxford, OX4 4XT