Regional groups

BBOWT team

Berkshire team by Adrian Wallington

Regional groups

Our regional groups in Berkshire, the Chilterns and Oxfordshire play key roles in promoting BBOWT locally. They help generate vital funds and boost membership by organising events and volunteer work parties. Volunteers are needed to serve on committees and to help with activities such as:

  • conservation projects in their own locality,
  • organising walks and evening talks,
  • running stalls at fĂªtes and charity days,
  • raising funds for the Trust,
  • recruiting members and volunteers,
  • producing local newsletters about local wildlife and conservation.
     

Berkshire Group

Hosehill Lake, Berkshire

Hosehill Lake by Adrian Wallington

We are a voluntary fundraising group covering Berkshire, including Wokingham, Maidenhead, Slough, Windsor, Bracknell and Reading.

We are always looking for new volunteers to help support our events and sales/fundraising efforts. You don't need to be a member of the Trust to join the group, we simply ask that you come along with plenty of enthusiasm.

Our group aims to increase awareness of the Trust, arrange events, and raise funds for BBOWT. Educational events and training courses are organised at various times. Some of these events are run in conjunction with other charitable organisations, ECONET and Reading & District Natural History Society.

As with all small charitable groups, our activities are determined by the availability, interests and skills of those active within the group. If you can contribute your time and skills, or are interested in finding out more about what we do, we would be pleased to hear from you.

Contact the Berkshire Group

Chilterns Group

Dancersend nature reserve near Aylesbury. Picture: Pete Hughes

Dancersend nature reserve near Aylesbury. Picture: Pete Hughes

Our Mission is to engage local communities in taking action for wildlife by delivering a programme of public talks, guided reserve visits, fundraising events and local publicity.

Details of our activities can be found at: bbowt.org.uk/events

We believe volunteering should be fun, so we get things done on a friendly, informal basis. We would welcome more help from new members in delivering our programme of activities, particularly if you would like to support us on marketing or on guided reserve visit coordination.

Contact the group chair, Richard Birch

Sign up for the Chilterns newsletter

Read the latest Chilterns newsletter

Please come and help us achieve the Trust's aim of 'More nature everywhere, for everyone'.

Friends of Cothill Reserves (FoCR)

Participants on a guided walk around Cothill Fen

Participants on a guided walk around Cothill Fen. Photo by Denis Kennedy

The FoCR was set up in 1987 as a group within BBOWT to bring together all those interested in wildlife conservation in the Cothill region, north-west of Abingdon.

We aim to protect and cherish these special sites, which are recognised as being of national importance.

There are five BBOWT reserves: Dry Sandford Pit, Lashford Lane Fen, Hitchcopse Pit, Gozzard’s Ford (closed for safety reasons) and Parsonage Moor. Adjoining Parsonage Moor is a sixth site, the Ruskin Reserve, which is a National Nature Reserve administered by Natural England.

The great attraction of this area is the Cothill Fen, which is centred on the Ruskin and Parsonage reserves and extends into Dry Sandford Pit, Gozzards Ford and Lashford Lane. They are linked by the Sandford Brook, a tributary of the River Ock. The Fen is a combination of alkaline spring-fen with acidic areas underlain by calcareous Jurassic rocks. This is a very unusual combination, practically unique in the UK, resulting in flora and fauna comprising a wide diversity of species, including many national rarities. A few examples are marsh orchids, butterworts, grass of Parnassus, southern damselfly and rare soldierflies.

We welcome new members, whether to participate in regular work parties or just to enjoy the reserves. All are welcome to subscribe to our newsletter, which features reports on the wildlife of the reserves, events and management work.

Contact the group

Sign up for the FoCR newsletter

Read the latest FoCR Newsletter

Family look straight at the camera through binoculars

Family with binoculars in the heather by David Tipling/2020VISION

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©Jon Hawkins Surrey Hills Photographer

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