Trustees Annual Report From 1[st] January 2025 to 31[st] December 2025 Charity Name : Wild North Trust Charity Registration Number 1197300
Charity Governance
Wild North Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, whose only voting members are its charity trustees. So far there are four trustees, Gale Blackburn, Jessica Britch, Joanne Coley and Sarah Roe, who have been involved from the outset. Any new appointments of trustees would be agreed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees, with due regard to the skills, knowledge or experience for the effective administration of the CIO.
Objectives and Activities
The objects of the CIO is to promote for the benefit of the public, the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in Northern England, including by promoting biological diversity, and to advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment, in particular by:
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Promoting good practice, raising awareness and educating the public of the benefits of rewilding as a tool to promote biological diversity.
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Facilitating projects for other community groups and landowners to increase rewilding on land managed by them.
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Looking for possible leases of land for the Trust to carry out its own rewilding initiatives.
Achievements and Performance In 2025
Following from the success of the rewilding of St Mark’s school, we conducted surveys of wildlife which has colonised the area created in winter / spring 2024, and shared results with the school which enables pupils to conduct their own research and surveying.
In addition to the 40 species of moth found last year, we have counted 31 species of bird, including summer migrant visitors such as garden and willow warbler and blackcap, and seen with the growth of bramble, an increase in nesting birds, such as blackbird, wren and longtailed tit, a species requiring a specific set of conditions to raise its young.
Young willow and bramble have increased the conditions for wildlife to use the rewilded area, as well as the wet meadow developing flowers and grasses. Hedgehogs have been spotted, a species in serious decline across the UK. The pond now supports breeding frogs and is full of tadpoles, insect larvae and marginal, emergent and oxygenating plants.
We continue to look out for opportunities to rewild other portions of land, through contacting landowners and councils’ property managers, or liaise with other groups to advise on their own. With the advent of the Nature Towns and Cities project in Greater Manchester, we will link in to offer advice or make suggestions as to the best rewilding management.
Wild North Trust, in partnership with The Guide Over Sands Trust, ran the charity walk across Morecambe Bay Sands, which was attended by just under 40 people and raised the profile of the Trust further.
£2,000 of the £10,000 donation which Wild North Trust received last year, was donated in turn by us to Rewilding Britain, whilst it was running its match funding campaign in November 2025. This time and amount was chosen to make the best possible use of the donation, which would have given Rewilding Britain £4000 in total.
Review / Statement of Accounts 2025
Trading Activities include the income from the walks led by Guide Over Sands Trust.
Outgoing includes website hosting fees, outlay for Guide Over Sands walk.
Start of year: £ 10,514.00
Donations £0
Income from other trading activities: £632.00
Outgoing: £2409.00
End of year: £8,737.00