Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary Butterfly (c) Pete Swan
A gift for wildlife
A legacy gives reassurance that places you care about will be there for future generations to enjoy. Thanks to the generosity of so many people, the Trust is now able to protect even more wildlife.
Protect the wildlife you love for future generations and leave a lasting legacy
We believe that everyone deserves to live in a healthy, wildlife-rich natural world and have the opportunity to experience the joy of wildlife and wild places in their daily lives. A gift in your Will to Durham Wildlife Trust, no matter the size, makes a difference and helps protect wildlife across the UK for future generations.
You can include a gift in your Will to support innovative conservation projects that benefit wildlife across Durham, Darlington, South Tyneside, Gateshead and Sunderland. Alternatively, you may wish to support a specific reserve or help us to buy a new reserve.
David Attenborough and David Bellamy at Joe's Pond
“Anyone who cares about wildlife has a marvellous opportunity to do something quite unique, by remembering their local Wildlife Trust in their will.
This generous act is one of the most important things you can do to make sure the species and habitats we love will be there for future generations to enjoy.”
Leave a legacy (https://youtu.be/6RORTCVWmEk)
Watch Irene's story to find out how leaving a legacy to Durham Wildlife Trust can make a real difference to wildlife across the region.
How to leave a gift in your Will
If you wish to leave a gift in your Will to Durham Wildlife Trust, you can do so via our partners.
Using our face-to-face or over the phone dedicated solicitor.
EMG Solicitors provides a bespoke Will writing service and our dedicated team are here to help you plan and make provisions for you and your loved ones throughout your lifetime.
Our Wills team will make sure you have an expertly drafted, valid Will which perfectly expresses your wishes. Our solicitors are highly ranked in Legal 500 ( the clients’ guide to the UK’s best law firms) and are specialists in Inheritance Tax Planning, Trusts & Wealth Management. We listen carefully and offer advice based on your individual circumstances no matter how complex. Our Wills document your wishes meticulously and ensure what you want to happen to your property, assets, children, pets, and treasured possessions actually transpires should the worst happen.
Celebration Plaques
Celebration Plaques are a wonderful way to remember and celebrate the life of a loved one. Alternatively they could commemorate a special family event like the arrival of a new baby, a big birthday or wedding anniversary. Our attractive brass flower plaque is 10cm in diameter and will be engraved with a personalised message. The message will be over three lines with the person’s name in the middle line in larger font. The plaques will be displayed in Low Barns Nature Reserve or Hannah’s Meadow barn. The plaques cost £150 and all the money raised from the purchase of the plaques will go to support our work to conserve wildlife from Tees to Tyne.
Help to look after grassland meadows
Our special North East Magnesian Limestone sites mean that we have lots of distinct grasslands to look after. By dedicating a square foot of Grassland Meadows in memory or celebration of your loved one you will be keeping a special place well looked after for years to come. Grassland Meadows plots are available at the following Nature Reserves for £50: Bishop Middleham Quarry 9DL17) Raisby Hill Grassland (DH6) Herrington Hill (SR4) Town Kelloe Bank (DH6) Kelloe Field (DH6) Trimdon Grange (TS29).
Securing a wilder future
We have been fortunate enough to receive some generous donations over the years, here is an overview of how we have used them:
Ragpath Heath Nature Reserve, a beautiful site, rich in wildlife was generously left to us in 2007.
Using a cash gift we bought a mobility scooter for Low Barns Nature Reserve. The scooter is frequently used and helps those with limited mobility to get around the reserve.
Generous legacies made Project Redshank at Rainton Meadows happen. By creating muddy lake margins on the reserves lakes new habitats was created for wading birds, such as redshank, oystercatcher, lapwing and little ringed plover.
If you would like to know more about leaving a gift please get in touch.
Details you might need
If you are arranging your own Will and would like to leave Durham Wildlife Trust a gift, it is really important to include the below information, to make your wishes clear:
Full name: Durham Wildlife Trust
Registered Charity No: 501038
Our address: Durham Wildlife Trust, Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve, Houghton-le-Spring, DH4 6PU
Telephone: 0191 584 3112