John and Margaret Lloyd
Meet our 25,000th members!
We are pleased to share that we have reached a milestone of 25,000 members. Meet John and Margaret.
Over the last 51 years since Warwickshire Wildlife Trust was founded, we have received support from so many wonderful people in Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull, and beyond. Recently we hit a huge milestone of 25,000 members and we spoke to John and Margaret, our 25,000th members, to find out why they joined and how they will enjoy their membership.
What inspired you to join Warwickshire Wildlife Trust?
"Friends of ours mentioned that they had joined and enjoyed visiting places that only WWT members had access to. We visited Brandon Marsh and thought about joining afterwards. We enjoyed visiting Ufton Fields and Wappenbury Wood for the first time during the pandemic, thanks to recommendations from friends. Our appreciation of the importance of local green spaces has increased during the pandemic."
What do you believe are the greatest threats to our local wildlife and greenspaces?
"HS2 is a significant local threat! We have been sad to learn of its impact. The prospect of using green belt land for housing is another cause for concern."
Which of our reserves and visitor centres are on your list to visit now that you are members?
"We are looking forward to our New Members Guided Walk at Whitacre Heath in October. Unfortunately, just after we joined I (John) developed an ankle problem which has caused difficulty in walking and has hampered our plans to explore. However, we were glad to discover that there is a Tramper that we can borrow at Brandon Marsh, so we are looking forward to a visit in early August."
What species are you hoping to spot as your explore?
"We once saw a kingfisher at Brandon Marsh and it would be lovely to repeat that experience. Margaret would love to see badgers: we are sad to see, in the WWT magazine, that the Government plans to cull badgers. We will enjoy the natural variation emerging during each season of the year."
Why do you think it is important that people support their local Wildlife Trust?
"The pandemic has highlighted the importance of the natural environment as a place of recreation and healing. We should not take it for granted and cannot rely on the Government to preserve our natural heritage. Local involvement would be a more reliable way of ensuring the conservation of local natural environments. Events for children are important for future generations to appreciate the natural environment."