Wlldllfe and Countryslde LINi<• Wildlife and Countryside Link IA company limited by guarantee) Company number.. 03889519 Annual Report 2024 The Trustees submit their report together with the financial statements of Wildlife and Countryside Link for the year ended 31 December 2024. Contents A Mes538e from Link's Chair Reference and Administralive Details Trustees, Report Objectives and Activities Achievements and Performance Structure, Governance and Management io Financial Review 12 Acknowledgements 13 Members 14 Independent Examiners Report 17 Statement of Financial Activitles 18 Balance Sheet 19 Statement of Cash Flows 20 Notes to the Financial Statements 22 A Message from Link's Chair 2024 was a year of campaigning action for Wildlife aT)d Countryside Link. We brought our first evei judlcial review, challenginB the Goveinment's detision not to consider a revision ol the Environmental Improvement Plan in light ol a damnin8 progress report by the Office for Environmental Protection. The le831 action brought together membeTs large and small io call for Government to honour the intention ol the Environment Act 2021 by strengthening the Plan. We were delighted that the incoming Government agreed to revise Ihe EIP and the proces5 15 already well undeTh¥ay. We hope for a new plan that links ta¥gets with science-based action plans and clear allocation of re5ponsibiliiy for delivery. At the opposite end of the scale, perhaps, we also organised our first mass demonstration. Workin8 Wlth Chris Packham's team and a hu8e array of environmental 8roups, Link led development of Restore Nature Now. The march Wa5 the lar8est march for nature ever in the UK, bringing tO8ether 60,000-1￿.000 people in Westmsnster in 5VPPOrt of Stronger action for naiure recovery. We are hugely 8ratefvl to everyone who rnade the effort to join u5, loi the heartfelt speeches, the camaraderie and tfrle humour. Surely the message was heard loud and clear. There's no time to lose to restore nature. As the General Electlon appioached, we already had a stron8 shaieo platform for acilon through the Nature 2030 campaign. We put politicians on the 5POt at a National Nature Hustin85. kindly hosted by Chester Zoo. arsd In ¢onSunctlon with The Wildlife Trusts Wild Live event. We were pleased to see Nature 2030 prop05a15 reflected in party manifestos acros5 the political spectrLtm, particularly with renewed commitments to hali the decline of biodiver51ty by 2030. Alon85ide all this. our work on day-to-day pollcy and le8l51atlon coniinued. l am astonished and delighted by the level of collèboralion Jnd expertise shown every day in Link workin8 groups, pres5in8 for bolder and more effective law and policy for nature. These actlons have set a hl8h bar of expectation for the new Boveinment. Sir Keirfs team take office at a time of unprecedented national and international challenBes for envlronmental policy, and finding a way ro honour their environmental promises will be difficult with $0 many obstacles in the way. But that is exactly whai they rnu5t do. Restorin8 nature and sloppin8 climate chan8e, improving animal welfare, and improving the quallty of people, environment is critical to our future. We will be there to challènge and support the new Governrnent in maklng this the Parliament ihat ihe decline of nature was linally rurned around. Martin Spray CBE DSC, Chair. Wildllfe and Countryside Link Reference and Administrative Details Link Trustees Martin Spray. Chair Dominic Dyer Marcus Gilleard Sandy Luk Nadia Shaikh Allison Ogden-Newiori Jason Reeves Ali Plummer Dr James Cooper Jemima Child-clarke Adam Royle lappointeLI DecembÈr 20181 (appointed December 20181 lappointed Marth 2015 1 resigned 20241 (appointed December 2018 1 resigned 20241 (appointed Oecember 202 1 I re518ned 20241 lappointed December 202 11 lèppointed December 20211 lappointed December 20231 lappointed December 20231 lappointed December 20231 lappoinied December 20241 Company Reglstered Number 03889519 Chorlty Re8lstered Numbèr IJ07460 Prlnclpal Offlce Address NIOIC VDX Studios 1-45 Durham Street London SEII SJH Company Secretary and CEO Dr Richard Benwell Independent Examlner Richard Appleyard FCA Gibbons Mannington & Phipps LLP Chartered Accountants 20 Eveisley Road Be¥hill-on-Se TN40 IHE Bankers The Co-operative Bank PO Box 101 l Balloon Street Manchester M604EP Nètionwlde 5-1 I St George's Street Douglas Isle of Man IM99 IRN Solicltors Ru55ell-Cooke Solicitors 2 Putney Hill London SWIS 6AS Trustees, Report Objectives and Activities The charitable objects of Wildlife ancj Countryside Link are to promote the conservation and protection of wildlife and countryside for ihe benefit ol the public. Llnk is the largest environment an¢J wildlife coalition in England. We bring together 86 organisations to develop and dvocate proposals for improvements in law and policy for the benefit of wildlife and our environment. Our members campaign to conserve. enhance and access our landscapes. habitats, rivers and sea5 and pioiect our animals and plants. Together we have ihe support of over ei8hi million people in the UK and directly protect over 750,000 hectares of land and 8Crf) miles of coa5tlinÈ. As part ol our current strategy.. We alm to be a policy powerhouse for the sector: keepinB a broad overview, but tar8etin8 a small number of sirate8ic areas where we can Benerate new, det311ed and ambitious policy proposals that will Influence policyrnakers. Our policy groups will for8e pro8ressive consensus.. aimin8 lor Strong, common p051tions that complement indtvidual rnembers, work.. We aim to be an ?mpllflei for our individual voices.. hi8hliKhtin8 great work in our membèrship and lendin8 focu5 and coherence to oui common messa8es in the press and in political advocacy. Our communications will reflect and reinfofce members. communlcatlons.. creatln8 Opportunities for member5 large and small. as well as providing collective identity in the media and in Westminster. We aim to be a strateBic hub and instStutional touchpoint.. providlnB leadership In o8reeln8 cross- sector strale8lc dlrection, supportin8 our Members in Westminsler, and acting a5 a nodal point for working with other 8roups. Our secretariat will lead and Se￿e. addln8 value to members. interactions by identifying strate8iC Opportunities, creating alllance5 and providinB prole5si9nal policy insight. With a General Election ahead, we aim to ensure thèt all political parties make clear commitments for nature and animal welfare, capable of improvin8 the lives of anima15, and stopping the derline ol species abundance by the end of the decè¥Je. We want to play our part In bringln8 the huge and varied environmental movement together to express people's love of animals and nature in a way that cuts through the short-terrni5m of politics. We will support the sector in coming together In a mèlor publlc demonsiration, we will team up with or8an15alions with Strong local networks to support Informed doorstep questions and local hustlngs events focused on nature. and we will ensure 1hat all parties are held to account at ftational level for thesr environmental commitments. We will continlse to work with c105e partners in the delivery of ihi5 work, includin8 Green Alliance. the Climate Coalitlon, Sustain, the Nature Friendly Farming Network and others. At the same time, we wlll ensure that the day.to.day delivery of environmental ambltlon is not sloweLI down by politlcal timelines. The year siarts with the Offshore Petroleum Licensin8 Bill, whith we oppose. We will work with Parllamentarians to propose measures to strengthen proteciion for Marine Protected Areas and to prioritTrse space for nature and renewable energy generation 3t seè. rather Ehan e¥pandin8 fossil fuel indLSStrie5. Key anifflal welfare legislation is also movlng forward, wtrth the Animal Welfare (Live Exponsl 8111. which would fulfil lon8-St8nding shared campai8n, and the Hunting Trophy Ilmport Prohibition) Bill early in the year. At the same time, we will press for effective implementation of animal wellare provisions in the Online 5ofety Act, following our successful work on the bill last year. The I rusiee5 of Wilfjlileand Countryside Confirm thai tbe OF8anisa110n lias Ch•riièble Purp05e4 pursuant 10 Ihe Chariiie5 Aci 2011 The Trustees believe lheie afe Ilear an¢ Ideniiliable gublic tsenelit5 aiisint Irutn ihe PLJfSuit ol Lilik's 61rn5 and 0￿ectiVes. In terms of an enhanted natuial environment, more abundant Wildlile. the health wellbein8 and ti.manilesto on Peo le and NètL&re. Advocat5ng for robust site5 4nd specles protèrtlons Building on the new GovÈrnment'5 commitment to review the Envlronmental Improvement Plan, the Nattsre Pollcy Working Group published a bri on action needed within the fiisl 100 days ol the new Government to meet 2030 specie5 tar8ets. Ink ro The group also published the annual on meeting the target to protect at least 30% of En8land'513nd for nature by 2030 (also known as 30x301. The report secured significant media coverage parliarnentary attention, Link's advocacy on 30x30 conlrlbuted to the Government recognising that protected 51tes in unfavourable and declintnB condition should not count towards the 30% tarBet and the new Government commitment to publish 3 delivery strategv for 30x30 on land in 2025. Link's work advocatlng fof b0051in8 nature in ProtecteLI Landscapes, Includin8 National Paiks and National Landscapes, through the 30x30 report and Se arate briÈlin s, helped secure a commitment by the Governmeni in December 2024 for leBislative reform to help boost nature recovery in these area5. Link also worked alongside EIUK colleagues to advocate for robust domestii implementation of 30x30 an(J other International biodiversity targets, around the international nature conference COP16 in October 2024. Link published an )aated olic i ess li JL kvi on all the Global 8iodiver51ty Framework target5 In England. Towards a sustainable farmlng future Link continve5 to bring a range ol organisations together to advocate lor nature-friendly fèrming, hostin8 fortnightly agriculture advocacy meetings with Green Alliance, to share Intelligence and plan joinr interventions. A notable intervention took place in December, when Link and over forty other organisations came together to call foi more fundin8 for £nvlronmental Land Management schemes and for Supply chains reforms. securing extensive media ov Link's Agriculture Group has made a series ol complementary policy inteNentions, includin8 l￿W setting oyi next Steps for ELMS Schemes and a call for reforms to the permitting system for intensive livestock farmin8. Ensuring clean healthy and thrlvln8 seas Our focLJS for the Marine Group In 2024 was largely on marine spatlal plannin8 ond the Impacts of offshore energy infrèSlfUCture. This Saw us effectively oppose the Offshore LicensinB Bill of the previous government as well as secure sustainable development duty In The Crown Estate Bill which will help ensure offshore wind does not damage marine naiuie. We also publlshed 3 malor repon concerning 'PI nnin Ahe ' to help Set the a8enda for protectin8 marine nature in the plannlng system. We also 50U8ht to protect Marine Protected Areas IMPA51 Irom damaging flshln8 and industrial activity. We published our 30x30 Pro fess Re rt notin8 the minimal progress in protectin8 MPAS from botiom.lowed fishing gear and calling for swift action. Thi5 was supponed by responding to a major call for evidence on lishinB in MPA5. Protertlnll marlne rn•mmals Mu¢h of the work of the Marlne Mamma15 Group focused on the meeting ol the Internatlonal Whalin8 Commission IIWCI, IWC69. We provided effective briefin s to Defra. This helped ensure 2024 IWC negotlatlons saw posillve developments compared to recent year5 Wlth an anti-whalln8 re501ution being passed. quorum numbe15 beinB reached, and a pro-conseTration s1?nce bein8 well represented. We also continued to influence the UK Governmènt's approach to whale-huntirsg nallons through letters and o(Ivocacy through Defra. We produced a significant ￿bile11n on the reforms to wlldlife legislatlon needed to protect marine mommals, whith Is being used to influence Defra work on marine mammal piotection as well as parliamentary enBagernent. Clrcular Econornv Link'5 renamed Clrcular Economy Group published a m Radma with three key asks. including establishln8 8 joint Defra/DESNZ Joint Circular Economy Unit. Defra has slnce announced ihe establishment of a cross- department, cros5.industry Circular Economy Taskforce, a direct achievement of advocacy by the Broup. This provides strong opportunity to accelerate pro8ress on tirtular economy policy. We also prepared 3 more specific paper on All regulations for the Collection and Packagsng Reforms arè now in law. We pushed the Government to remain focused on fast, effective implementation of these reforms through Submissions to the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee and briefings for parliamentarians ahead of debates on the regulations. Our brielin s were used directly in parliamentary debates. We also eoordinated NGO work on the Global PlastlC5 Treaty and successfully advo(ated foi the new Labour Government to lake an ambitlOUS Stance in ne801iations. StructurL', Goveriiance and Management l.e