Trust goes wild after hitting £100k fundraising target

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is celebrating after an appeal to raise £100,000 to restore and reconnect habitats in the Peak District hit its target.

Launched in September, the Wild Peak Appeal aimed to help wildlife return while creating a more resilient landscape for people and nature.

According to the trust, across the Peak District, habitats are becoming increasingly degraded and fragmented, leaving wildlife with fewer places to feed, shelter and move.

As the region faces increasingly extreme weather, the trust believes restoring those “missing pieces” and creating more resilient landscapes through natural processes is becoming more urgent than ever.

The appeal aimed to raise £100,000 by 31 October to support work to restore and reconnect these habitats, not only helping create the conditions for wildlife to return and thrive, but also bringing wider benefits such as storing carbon, holding back water and improving water quality.

More than 1,200 people donated to the appeal, with contributions ranging from £1 to £10,000, while others placed bids in the Wild Peak silent auction to support the appeal.

Every pound raised will support vital nature recovery work, helping to put some of the missing pieces of nature back into the Peak District.

The trust’s vision is to help create the conditions for wildlife such as black grouse, red-backed shrike and the maiden pink flower to return and thrive.

Joanna Hill, Wild Peak programme manager at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has given, bid in our auction, shared, and championed this appeal.

“It’s thanks to the unwavering support from our members, corporate partners and passionate supporters that we have exceeded our ambitious target. 

“Thanks to their generosity, we can continue working alongside farmers, landowners, local communities and partners to restore and reconnect habitats across the Wild Peak, putting the missing pieces back into this iconic landscape.

“Together, we can create more resilient landscapes where wildlife can thrive, and people can enjoy for generations to come.”

Although the Wild Peak appeal in now closed, anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by calling 01773 881188.