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Great burnet in meadow

Great burnet in meadow by Prill for Shutterstock

Thank you for helping us to protect Pixey Mead

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters for helping us buy and manage a rare ancient meadow

We had an opportunity to buy Pixey Mead, a stunning hay meadow by the Thames near Oxford, and secure its future forever. Only a handful of places like this exist today. A staggering number of these unimproved grasslands across England and Wales have disappeared since the early 20th century.

Thanks to the amazing generosity of our supporters we have managed to raise enough money to buy Pixey Mead and to manage it for years to come.

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Thanks to the amazing generosity of our supporters we have reached our target of £80,000 to keep Pixey Mead safe and protect its wildlife forever.
Map showing the location of Pixey Mead

Pixey Mead is on an island in the Thames, just north-west of Wolvercote and the other side of a mill stream to our Oxey Mead nature reserve. Pixey and Oxey Meads fit into the wider network of floodplain meadows in this part of Oxfordshire, which includes Port Meadow and BBOWT’s Iffley Meadows and which are an important home for many species of plants, insects and birds.

Pixey Mead is one of the most studied and celebrated floodplain meadows in Britain. More than 200 species of plant have been recorded here, including early and southern marsh-orchids, common meadow-rue, ragged robin and great burnet.

Thanks to our supporters, we can now expand the area of floodplain meadow that BBOWT cares for here and ensure more space is protected for wildlife in an ever-more crowded world. 

Red-tailed bumblebee on bird's foot trefoil

Red-tailed bumblebee on bird's foot trefoil by Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography

Donate to BBOWT's general work

If you would like to support our ongoing work managing Pixey Mead and other special havens for wildlife, you can do so here.

Donate today

If you are interested in supporting future land purchase appeals by BBOWT please get in touch with us at membership@bbowt.org.uk

Kingfisher perched on branch

Buying the 20 hectares of floodplain meadow at Pixey Mead will help prevent any further fragmentation of precious flood meadows on this part of the River Thames.

Their role in storing floodwaters is increasingly important as we experience the impacts of climate change. There has never been a more important time to protect these refuges for rare species.

Fewer than 1500 hectares of this type of meadow remain in the UK

Frequently asked questions

How can I donate to the appeal?

Thank you! We have now reached our target. If you would like to support our ongoing work managing Pixey Mead and other special havens for wildlife, you can do so:

  • Online: using our online donation form.
  • By phone: please call 01865 788300 between 9am and 5pm Monday – Friday
  • By post: please send your gift to us at Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, The Lodge, 1 Armstrong Road, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4XT

How much should I give?

Thank you! We have now reached our target. If you would like to support our ongoing work managing Pixey Mead and other special havens for wildlife, you can do so:

  • Online: using our online donation form.
  • By phone: please call 01865 788300 between 9am and 5pm Monday – Friday
  • By post: please send your gift to us at Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, The Lodge, 1 Armstrong Road, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4XT

What will my donation be spent on?

BBOWT will use your gift to support the purchase and long-term management of Pixey Mead.

What will happen to my donation if you exceed your target?

Any excess funds will be used for other BBOWT nature reserves.

What happens if you don't raise enough money?

Thanks to the amazing generosity of our supporters, we have reached our target! Thank you so much to everyone who gave to the appeal.

Thank you for your support.