Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has launched a week-long appeal with a powerful message – donate once, and double your impact.
From 22nd to 29th April, the Trust is taking part in the Big Give’s Green Match Fund, with an ambitious target of £20,000 to protect Wiltshire’s most vulnerable wildlife. Every pound raised will be matched, penny for penny, thanks to the Big Give’s champion donors.
The campaign, known as Double the Difference for Nature, is focused on tackling the very real threats facing 135 critically at-risk species across Wiltshire and Swindon – species whose futures hang in the balance due to climate change, habitat loss and fragmented ecosystems.
Among them are the once-common water vole, whose numbers have been decimated by vanishing waterways, and the marsh fritillary butterfly, which depends on fragile grasslands to survive. Even the rarely seen Bechstein’s bat, reliant on ancient woodlands, is in danger due to increasing habitat disruption.
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is calling on residents, nature lovers, and conservation supporters to back the appeal. The funds will support habitat restoration, climate-focused nature solutions, and collaborative projects with farmers and landowners to promote more sustainable practices.
“This year, we’re aiming to raise £10,000 in online donations, which will unlock another £10,000 in match funding,” explained Becki McKinlay, Director of Fundraising and Engagement. “This money will go straight into conservation work that helps protect Wiltshire’s most threatened species. We’re asking the public to join us and give what they can – even a small donation will go twice as far.”
This isn’t just about preserving animals – it’s about protecting the natural balance of Wiltshire’s countryside, its rivers, woodlands and open spaces, for future generations.
Anyone wishing to support the campaign should visit the Big Give website from midday on 22nd April, where donations made via the campaign page will be automatically doubled.
