Bringing Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland Annual Review 2025-26
Making an impact Your support has helped us continue to grow. Here’s what we achieved in 2025-26.
149 events, attracting 1,838 attendees
124k
social media followers
40
press and media pieces, including on local TV and eight national pieces
15
24,368 visitors to Lyndon Visitor Centre
18,962 members
458
moth species recorded at Rutland Water
You can read previous Annual Reviews at: lrwt.org.uk/ how-we-are-run
700
404,000
29,000
1.8 million
registered volunteers contributed almost hours of their time
wetland birds recorded
views on our osprey YouTube channel
17 Osprey Cruises welcomed 1,243 participants
1,321
37
hectares across nature reserves managed by Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
Matt Scase
23,589
visits to our osprey webpage
Working for nature and people
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elcome to our Annual Review for the year ended 31st March 2026. We are delighted to report on so much fantastic progress over the course of the year in our work to Bring Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland. The natural world sustains us all, yet we live in one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. That can change and, with your support, we’re fighting to increase biodiversity and species restoration across our two counties, we’re bringing more people closer to nature, and we’re speaking up for wildlife in the corridors of power. This review isn’t long enough to include everything we have been doing. Instead, we highlight our major activities and projects throughout the year. You’ll read about the expansion of our nature reserve estate with exciting new acquisitions, as well as our rapidly developing nature recovery work alongside local partners to manage more of the landscape in a way that’s sympathetic to nature. We’ll share exciting news in species recovery and restoration, with another year of firsts and rarities. You’ll learn about our events and
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activities, where we are inspiring growing numbers of people and communities. And together we’ll applaud our dedicated team of volunteers and their amazing breadth of work! Bringing Nature Back is not easy, but give wildlife space and it will return. Along with our colleagues across the country in the wider Wildlife Trusts movement, we are creating that space and instilling in people a fascination with and commitment to nature that will sustain the future. Your support makes all this happen, and we send a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to you all.
Mat Carter Mat Carter Chief Executive Officer
Ann Tomlinson
Ann Tomlinson Chair, Council of Trustees
2026 is a triple anniversary for the Trust: 70 years since our founding, 50 years since the creation of Rutland Water Nature Reserve, and 30 years of our work with ospreys. To celebrate this remarkable landmark, we embarked on a programme of activities, requiring a great deal of planning in 2025, with events rolled out from early 2026. There will be lots to report on in our next Annual Review but it’s important to say that, while it has been fun to look back at past progress, we also look forward to what we will achieve for nature over the coming decades.
Bringing Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland Annual Review 2025-26
Cover: Michael Walker
How we are bringing nature back Our Strategy to 2030: Bringing Nature Back responds to the nature and climate emergencies. It recognises that the threats of climate breakdown and ecological collapse are the most important issues of our time. As well as protecting the fragments of wildlife-rich habitat we have left, we must strive to restore ecosystems at scale and put nature into recovery. This important Strategy will shape the work of the Trust over the coming years. You can read more at lrwt.org.uk/strategy Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust is uniquely positioned to inspire and lead the positive ecological change needed across our two counties, working as part of a strong, cohesive movement of Wildlife Trusts across the country. Our detailed work programmes drive our aims and objectives.
Jon Hawkins/Surrey Hills Photography
Our Vision
Our vision is of a thriving natural world, with our wildlife and habitats playing a valued role in addressing the climate and ecological emergencies, and people inspired and empowered to take action for nature.
Our Purpose
Our purpose is to bring wildlife back, to empower people to take action for nature, and to create a society where nature matters.
Our Goals 1 Working to protect and enhance biodiversity so that nature in Leicestershire and Rutland is in recovery with abundant, diverse wildlife and natural processes creating wilder land where people and nature thrive.
2 Engaging people in Leicestershire and Rutland to be inspired to take action for nature and the climate, resulting in better decisionmaking for the environment at both the local level and national level. 3 Nature in Leicestershire and Rutland is playing a central and valued role in helping to address local and global problems.
Nature recovery: Across our counties
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estoring depleted land, connecting fragmented habitats, providing a guiding voice – we continue to work towards our goals of seeing nature recovered and protected across Leicestershire and Rutland. By strengthening existing partnerships and forging new ones we can extend our reach and deepen our impact, enabling us to implement our nature recovery efforts at a much larger scale.
Rewilding Harborough We are delighted to be working with Harborough District Council following their acquisition of more than 53 hectares of former farmland near Great Bowden. This is a unique opportunity of national significance to restore nature at a landscape scale, bringing benefits to wildlife, people and communities.
Harborough & The Bowdens Charity, Anglian Water, and East Mercia Rivers Trust – joining the partnership to create a project area that now exceeds 200 hectares. Baseline ecology surveys have been completed and options for habitat creation and enhancement considered to inform a masterplan which we hope to start developing soon with the Council and partners. Within the project area, 40 acres of new woodland have already been created to kickstart local nature recovery.
Momentum has continued to gather pace with a further three organisations – Market
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Bringing Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland Annual Review 2025-26
Greener Golf With the first year of the Greener Golf Network Nature Recovery Project successfully completed, Leicestershire and Rutland are setting an example at the national level as to how golf clubs can commit to nature’s recovery. We have had discussions with several Wildlife Trusts, including Warwickshire, Surrey and Staffordshire, as well as with England Golf, to share what we have learned from the project and exchange best practice on engaging golf clubs. This is leading to further opportunities for collaboration to deliver nature recovery within the golfing sector on both local and national scales.
Joshua Copping
Local Nature Recovery Strategy We continue to play a key role within the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. As a member of the steering group, we have helped guide the strategy’s development and advised on its delivery, ensuring that ecological evidence, local knowledge and practical conservation experience shape future nature recovery
priorities for our counties. The LNRS sets out actions to restore and connect habitats, including woodland expansion, river and floodplain restoration, species recovery, and better management of grasslands, hedgerows and urban green spaces. Our continued involvement will help position the Trust as a key delivery partner as the strategy moves into its operational phase.
Nature recovery: On our reserves
Charley Woods Charley Woods has been significantly extended, with an initial 16.5-hectare acquisition followed by a further 6.5 hectares, greatly expanding this ancient woodland reserve. This was made possible through a combination of generous donations from a small number of benefactors, a major grant from the National Forest Company, a £100,000 grant from the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, and loan finance from a ‘patient investor’.
Amy Lewis
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ur 37 nature reserves cover 1,321 hectares, with woodlands, meadows, wetlands and heathlands home to a huge diversity of wildlife, some rare and threatened. We work to maximise biodiversity on these sites, while also expanding them to create wildlife corridors and new speciesrich reservoirs from which nature can spread out into the wider landscape. Our reserves allow people to experience the incredible variety of habitats once widespread across Leicestershire and Rutland. Together they can instil a love of nature, ensuring that the wild places of our two counties will always be treasured.
The new land creates a significant opportunity to reconnect fragmented habitats, restore degraded agricultural land, and expand nature recovery across one of our most important Charnwood landscapes.
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Bringing Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland Annual Review 2025-26
Janina Holubecki
So far, more than £150,000 has been donated to our Wilder Charnwood Appeal to help back the purchase, with the first £100,000 of GiftAided donations match-funded. Help us secure
the future of this vital expansion at lrwt.org. uk/appeals/wilder-charnwood-appeal
improvement for the community of Market Harborough and beyond.
Cossington Meadows Cossington Meadows was also extended. The 5.5 hectares of new land offers a chance to strengthen habitat resilience within the Soar Valley and create a more connected area for wetland, grassland and floodplain species.
Trees galore! In addition to the tree planting at James Adler Reserve, 400 trees were planted at Rutland Water Nature Reserve, 500 at Cossington Meadows, and 100 at Launde Big and Park Woods.
James Adler Reserve Habitat creation has begun at our new James Adler Reserve in Great Bowden, following the kind donation of the land by the Adler family, in memory of their son.
Rutland Recharged Renewable energy technology was installed at our Volunteer Training Centre thanks to a £49,000 grant from the Augean Community Fund and the King’s Cliffe and Thornhaugh Environmental Associations, bringing cleaner energy and more sustainable transport to our operations.
Initial works to re-wet areas of the reserve were undertaken in partnership with East Mercia Rivers Trust and 22,000 trees have been planted, 1,500 of those by volunteers, creating 30 acres of new woodland. Funded by a Forestry Commission grant, the woodland includes paths and glades for visitors to enjoy as the trees mature. With exceptional opportunities to further rewild the landscape, this special place holds enormous potential for biodiversity
Nature recovery: Championing species
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e monitor, study and survey local wildlife to identify special places and rare species, to inform our management, to enhance biodiversity and to plan for carefully considered reintroductions. None of this would be possible without the support of our volunteers who gather valuable data about the wildlife on our reserves. This information helps us plan for the future. The more we know about the species on our sites and in the wider countryside, the more we can engage and inform local people. Dormice return Through the Dormouse Recovery Partnership, hazel dormice have returned to Leicestershire. Alongside the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, Bradgate Park Trust, Leicestershire and Rutland Mammal Group, The National Forest, and Twycross Zoo, we helped identify and prepare suitable habitat.
that in time we hope will breed to establish a wider population. Rarities at Rutland Water The abundance of wildlife at Rutland Water continues to astound. During 2025, over 24,000 moths across 458 species were recorded at the reserve, including 12 new species for the site. More than 100,000 images of small mammals were captured using specially modified trail cameras, generating 7,000 records. Of particular note were some very rare beetles: Macroplea mutica, a nationally scarce reed beetle recorded on
Twenty dormice have now been released into carefully-selected woodland on the Bradgate Park estate, creating the county’s only known population. They will be closely monitored, with further releases planned
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Bringing Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland Annual Review 2025-26
fewer than 50 sites across Britain, and the great silver water beetle, documented for the first time in our counties since the 1930s. Chicks away! Summer 2025 welcomed the Rutland Osprey’s 300th successfully-fledged chick, an amazing milestone. Over the course of the season, 12 breeding pairs raised 31 chicks, making it the most productive year yet and bringing the total to 309 ospreys fledged since the project began. The 50th WeBS September marked a major milestone for one of Rutland Water’s most significant wildlife surveys, the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS). For 50 years, dedicated teams of volunteers and staff have carried out monthly waterbird counts across Rutland Water, contributing to a nationwide effort coordinated by the British Trust for Ornithology.
Rod Baker
Since 1975 (one year before the reservoir’s opening), WeBS at Rutland Water have recorded over six million birds, across 131 different species. From the early days of filling the reservoir, the population of
wintering waterbirds has increased from a couple of hundred individuals to regular counts of 15-20,000 birds. The data collected means we can track long-term trends and offers insights into how birds respond to environmental changes, helping us shape our continuing conservation efforts.
5.5
Progressed a hectare extension to Cossington Meadows, expanding our work in the Soar Valley.
Working for local wildlife We continue to achieve so much. Here are some of the highlights.
23
hectares added to Charley Woods, greatly increasing the scope of nature restoration in this area.
Shepshed
Ashby-dela-Zouch
Loughborough
Coalville
Birdwatching hide at Kelham Bridge hide refurbished.
Leicester
85
20
community engagement events welcomed over
1,800 people.
= Nature reserve
Hinckley
hazel dormice reintroduced to a carefully selected woodland on the Bradgate Park Estate.
Charley Woods new land aerial view ©Bentons • Cossington Meadows extension ©Charnwood Borough Council • Hedgelaying ©Zsuzsanna Bird • Oak sapling ©Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION • Nathusius’ pipistrelle bat ©Terry Whittaker/2020VISION • Water Rail ©Joshua Copping • Bordered Beauty ©Vaughn Matthews
Lutterworth
6 Nathusius’ pipistrelle bats
100 trees
tagged with MOTUS tags.
planted at Launde Big and Park Woods nature reserves.
400
metres of footpath resurfaced at Rutland Water Nature Reserve.
Melton Mowbray
Oakham
More than
RUTLAND
24,000
moths recorded at Rutland Water, across 458 species.
45
water rail recorded during a playback survey at Rutland Water. Market Harborough
22,000
trees planted at the James Adler Reserve.
31 osprey chicks fledged – the most productive year on record, bringing the total to 309
since the Rutland Ospreys project began.
Significant scrub removal at Ketton Quarry to ensure the safety of wildlife and livestock.
78 great white egret
recorded in September 2025. Rutland Water remains one of its most important sites in the UK.
People in nature: Taking action for wildlife
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ur walks, talks and other events help introduce people to nature and increase awareness of the wild spaces on our doorstep, building a commitment to help local wildlife. Many wildlife enthusiasts from a wide range of backgrounds are already taking their own steps to bring nature back. The links we build with others, together with the work we do in partnership, hugely increase the impact of nature recovery. Touching lives Our engagement programme continues to evolve, with a focus on reaching more young people and communities through initiatives such as the Restore the Soar project.
Centre welcomed 24,368 visitors, more than a thousand up on last year, with many visiting to enjoy the ospreys. A further 1,243 guests joined our unique osprey cruises, while Maya, the star osprey of the Manton Bay nest continues to delight visitors.
We are also expanding opportunities for children to discover nature through the Hedgehog Awards, which encourage 4-12-year-olds to learn about and take action for wildlife.
Community collaborations £20,000 of funding from CityFibre enabled the Trust to continue building on the already strong foundations established by the earlier Nextdoor Nature programme, creating community networks and connections with nature across Leicester.
During 2025-2026 we delivered 149 events, reaching 1,838 attendees. Lyndon Visitor
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Bringing Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland Annual Review 2025-26
Wildlife gardening courses have encouraged people to develop practical skills in sowing, propagating and planting for wildlife. Community gardens have been created and ponds dug with the help of the team from WildWater Ponds (right), providing new opportunities for people to connect with nature while bringing communities together in shared outdoor spaces. University partnerships As a key partner in the Universities Partnership, we collaborate with the three Leicestershire Universities (De Montfort University, Loughborough University and the University of Leicester) along with other local communities and organisations to drive local environmental sustainability. Just like our Greener Golf work (see page 6), we have provided recommendations to the universities on how to manage their land, enhance local habitats and contribute to nature recovery.
Our work continues with the University of Leicester and Nottingham Trent University, where staff from Rutland Water Nature Reserve have introduced students to water quality issues and sampling methods and have run taxonomy workshops to help their species identification skills.
In partnership with Loughborough University, we have completed a three-and-a-half-year funded research project investigating water quality in Lagoon 3 at Rutland Water Nature Reserve. The findings have already resulted in two published scientific papers.
People in nature: Our amazing volunteers
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esearch shows that volunteering provides intrinsic benefits through improved health and wellbeing. Crucially, it also enables the Trust to achieve even more for local wildlife. We have an amazing community of 700 registered volunteers who provide vital support by undertaking a wide range of tasks across all the Trust’s activities, including conservation management, species recording, visitor engagement, office administration, and governance. Their skills and knowledge underpin our progress, and we are truly grateful for all their help. Essential support With our volunteers providing nearly 29,000 hours of work over this past year, it’s clear that this selfless band of supporters forms an essential part of our capabilities.
Juliette Colaco
The following breakdown in volunteer support demonstrates their enormous commitment: reserve management gained 18,586 hours; visitors centres and outreach received 3,498 hours; species recording and monitoring, including ospreys totalled
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Bringing Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland Annual Review 2025-26
5,168 hours; while administration and events benefited from 463 hours of volunteer time. We are constantly amazed and delighted by the devotion that our volunteers show in their work for the Trust. One area we are focussing on is volunteer support and how we can deepen our role in ensuring the volunteer experience is nothing but positive. With the introduction of a new Volunteer Coordinator, we are working to improve our online volunteer hub, refreshing all our policy documentation and
volunteer handbooks, and looking at how we can maximise the opportunities available for our wonderful volunteers. New roles More volunteering opportunities are being planned and added to support our ongoing work, including the new role of Information Ranger. These volunteers will be out on our reserves, interacting with the public, sharing exciting wildlife sightings, and providing information on scheduled events.
Nick Crowley
Phil Thorne
All thanks to you! Restoring a thriving natural world in Leicestershire and Rutland needs everyone to work together. Thankfully there are plenty who share our vision, helping us to save endangered species, stand up for wild places, and bring people closer to nature. Members Our members are our lifeblood. We continue to maintain strong membership numbers despite the challenging economic climate. Many generous supporters also give to our appeals or donate throughout the year. We always welcome new members. Head to lrwt.org.uk/join Volunteers Volunteers selflessly give so much of their time to help us, freely sharing their expertise and enthusiasm across a wide range of roles. Could you join them? Discover how at lrwt.org.uk/volunteer Local Groups Our network of Local Groups hosts a diverse programme of activities and talks, giving more people the chance to learn about our work and the wildlife of Leicestershire and Rutland. Learn more at lrwt.org.uk/local-groups
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Bringing Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland Annual Review 2025-26
Gifts in Wills We are truly grateful to those who have chosen to leave a gift to us in their Will. Every gift plays a vital part in creating a lasting impact for local wildlife and the natural world. This year, we were honoured to receive legacy gifts from the following individuals: Mrs Beryl Barton, Ms Ruth Eastwood, Mrs Barbara Hawkins, Mrs Diana Jones, and Mrs Kathleen Ward. We are also very thankful to have received several generous donations from friends and family in memory of their loved ones. Including a gift in your Will to Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust ensures we can continue to protect threatened species and the wild places of Leicestershire and Rutland. If you are interested in learning more, please visit lrwt.org.uk/legacy or speak to us further and in confidence by calling 0116 262 9968 or emailing leavealegacy@lrwt.org.uk
Jon Hawkins/Surrey Hills Photography
Working in partnership Grants & trusts • Augean Community Fund • King’s Cliffe and Thornhaugh Environmental Associations • National Lottery Heritage Fund • PIB Community Trust • Smith-Barnard Charitable Trust • The Rutland Trust Companies & corporate partnerships • Anglian Water • CityFibre • CME Jewellery • Cossiwild Camping • David Musson Fencing • David Wilson Homes • Edwards & Edwards Consultancy • Heidelberg Materials • Ibstock Brick • John Lewis • Jordan’s Farm Partnership • Keepmoat Homes – Leicester • Leicester City Football Club • Market Harborough Honey Co. • Mick George • Severn Trent Water • The Barnsdale • The Hub at Rutland Point • Triton Showers • Which Way Financial Solutions • Wymondham Windmill • Zeiss Community groups & other organisations • Age UK • Barwell Bowls Club • Bradgate Park Trust
• Bradgate Rotary Club • Butterfly Conservation East Midlands • Canal and River Trust • Charnwood Foraging • Charnwood Forest Geopark • Coalville Ramblers • Defra • East Mercia Rivers Trust • Environment Agency • Field Detectives • Forestry England • Forestry Commission • Greener Golf Network • Leicestershire and Rutland Amphibian and Reptile Network • Leicestershire and Rutland Badger Group • Leicestershire and Rutland Bat Group • Leicestershire and Rutland Mammal Group • Market Harborough and the Bowdens Charity • Mind and Body Walking • National Forest Company • National Trust • Natural England • NatureSpot • Northants Amphibian and Reptile Group • People’s Trust for Endangered Species • Quorn Local History Group • Rotary Club of Ashby de la Zouch Castle • Rutland Natural History Society • Stathern Heritage • The Green Place • Thurcaston and Cropston Local History Society • Trent Rivers Trust • Twycross Zoo • Waterlife Recovery Trust • Wreake Catchment Nature Recovery Network • Woodland Trust
Universities & schools • Birkett House School • De Montfort University • Fosse Mead Primary Academy • Leicester College • LGS Stoneygate • Loughborough University • Mayflower Primary School • Nottingham Trent University • University of Leicester • University of Nottingham
Our work wouldn’t be possible without the wide range of partners, stakeholders, grant funders and local authorities who share our vision. We are thrilled with the support we receive from so many.
Local authorities • Blaby District Council • Charnwood Borough Council • Harborough District Council • Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council • Leicester City Council • Leicestershire County Council • North West Leicestershire District Council • Oadby & Wigston Borough Council • Rutland County Council Nextdoor Nature & Restoring the Soar • Belgrave Community Garden • Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre • Belgrave Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing Association • Communities Food and Wellbeing Hub • E2 Community Hub: The Urban Garden, Beaumont Leys • Ekojoe Community Project • Hamilton Library Community Garden • Highfields Centre Urban Roof Garden • Incredible Edibles • Insecta Collective • KALA Arts CIC • Leicester Community Links • National Space Centre
• Neighbourhood Nook Community Garden • P3 Charity • Sensational Vibes (community group) • Tesco – Community Champion • The Graphite Botanist • TREC (The Race Equality Centre) • VAL (Voluntary Action Leicester) • WildWater Ponds • Working Wednesday Networking Group (community groups) • YMCA Leicestershire • ZamZam Unlimited Possibilities Special thanks to Swithland Flower and Vegetable Show for their many years of support. Many thanks to the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts for their strategic support, advice, training, and access to shared services throughout the year.
Niall Benvie/2020VISION
Financial review The year was very positive from a finance perspective. Membership income rose 4% and grant income rose by 76%. Legacy income was 18% above the five-year average, but this income is always very variable by its nature. Cash donations were up 57%.
day to day without concern for its long-term prospects. This financial position has allowed the Trust to increase its staffing in 2026/27, including two new positions for our nature reserve work and one for our work in the wider countryside. Nevertheless, continuing to grow our membership, while developing and diversifying other income streams, remain priorities so we can do even more in future.
Expenditure rose by just over 4% with the increases mainly being related to work on our nature reserves and in the wider countryside. Our expenditure on charitable activities improved from 85% to 86% of our overall expenditure.
These financial figures are taken from the statutory accounts of Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust for the year ended 31st March 2026. The full accounts can be found at lrwt.org.uk/AGM
The Trust has total reserves of £6.6m. Of this, £4.9m is the value of our nature reserves, buildings, other fixed assets and investment properties. A further £400,000 is restricted to be spent on specific projects. Our remaining unrestricted financial reserves represent about 10 months’ expenditure budgeted for the next financial year. This is well above the level set to ensure that the Trust can continue to operate
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Bringing Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland Annual Review 2025-26
Guy Edwardes/2020VISION
Income 2025-26 £103k
Expenditure 2025-26
£75k
£295k £406k £818k
£984k
£432k
£601k
£801k
Total Income £2,804k
£459k
Total Expenditure £2,170k
Grants
Nature Recovery - nature reserves
Membership
Education & Engagement
Donations & Legacies
Nature Recovery - wider countryside
Conservation Consultancy
Fundraising & Income Generation
Investment Returns Trading Activities
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Bringing Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland Annual Review 2025-26
Looking forward We look forward to progressing the following work during the financial year 2026/27.
Strengthening the organisation Enhanced training opportunities will assist team members in project delivery and build upon their already strong skillsets. Improved supporter journeys for all those who want to engage with the Trust, be they members, donors, corporate supporters, legacy pledgers or community groups, will create strong, longterm relationships boosting the Trust’s reach and reinforcing its financial footing. We will continue our rolling programme of Trustee recruitment to ensure the Trustee Council provides the most effective governance. A mid-point review of our 2030 Strategy will allow us to reassess and reset where necessary, ensuring we remain focused on delivering our ambitious goals. Jon Hawkins/Surrey Hills Photography
Nature recovery We will invest further in our Nature Recovery team to increase our activity and expand collaborations with landowners and other stakeholders, particularly in south Leicestershire where restoration projects have been limited. We will restore natural processes on new sites, including the Charley Woods extension and James Adler Reserve, while continuing to monitor biodiversity on our reserves and review management to maximise nature recovery. Protecting species We will deliver new species reintroduction programmes, from supporting glow-worm strongholds in east Rutland through our Light Lines project to encouraging water voles and building on our hazel dormouse work. We will also expand our celebrated work with ospreys
through wider links, showing how biodiversity aims and concerns connect communities locally and globally. Engagement We will work with partners to engage local communities and improve access to, and understanding of, nature, building on the Restoring the Soar pilot in key areas of
Our governance Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust is managed by a Council of Trustees who are elected by the Trust’s membership. The Trustees oversee governance and the Trust’s strategic direction. All Trustees are listed with their skills and expertise on our ‘How we are run’ webpage at lrwt.org.uk/how-we-are-run
Leicester. We will also create more opportunities for people to benefit from volunteering across our activities. Celebrating In 2026, we are celebrating three anniversaries: 70 years since the Trust was founded, 50 years since Rutland Water Nature Reserve was created, and 30 years of our osprey work in Rutland. We look back with pride while sharing how the Trust’s mission will continue for the next 70 years and beyond. Remember, we’ll be reporting more on this in next year’s Annual Review.
Council of Trustees • Ann Tomlinson (Chair) • Andrew Moffat (co-Vice Chair) • Bob Bearne (co-Vice Chair – resigned 22 November 2025) • John Atherton (co-Vice Chair – appointed 15 December 2025) • Peter Williams (Honorary Secretary) • Andrew Thorpe (Honorary Treasurer) • Anthony Biddle • Helen Nott • Abigail Wilkin (resigned 23 March 2026) • Andy Abbott (resigned 21 September 2026) • Taras Bains • Gemma Harper • Charlie Hewitt (resigned 27 July 2025) • Emily Hunter • Nicola Dutton (co-opted 22 June 2026) • Stephanie Walker (co-opted 22 June 2026)
President Sir David Attenborough OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS Patrons • Lady Gretton DCVO, JP (stood down 22 November 2025) • Sir Lawrence Howard KCVO, OBE (stood down 22 November 2025) Vice President • Peter Ward MA, LLB (stood down 22 November 2025) The full Trustees’ Report for the year can be found at lrwt.org.uk/how-we-are-run
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Bringing Nature Back to Leicestershire and Rutland Annual Review 2025-26
Thank you to all our supporters Your ongoing support, dedication and generosity is essential in helping create a wilder Leicestershire and Rutland that benefits wildlife, nature and people. Thank you to all our members, staff, volunteers, donors, Local Groups, partners, funders and supporters of every kind. It is your passion and commitment that is laying the groundwork for nature’s recovery.
Bringing nature back to Leicestershire and Rutland Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust The Old Mill, 9 Soar Lane, Leicester, LE3 5DE 0116 262 9968 lrwt.org.uk Charity number: 210531 • Company registered number: 00561833
Luke Massey/2020VISION