Impact Report 2023

Essex Wildlife Trust is the county's leading conservation charity, managing 93 nature reserves and running Nature Discovery Centres across Essex. In 2023, the Trust welcomed over 1 million visitors to its centres, worked with 40,000 children and families through education programmes, generated 50,000 citizen science wildlife observations, and retained a membership base of 40,000 supporters — all while advancing ambitious targets to have 30% of Essex land and sea actively managed for nature by 2030.

Report snapshot
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📋About

1,900 volunteers supported conservation work across 93 nature reserves

📊Key Metrics

1 million+ visitors welcomed to Nature Discovery Centres in 2023 Key Metric 1
40,000 children and families engaged through Wilder Learning education programmes Key Metric 2
50,000+ citizen science wildlife observations recorded in 2023 Key Metric 3

Key Outcomes

  • 93% of Nature Discovery Centre visitors rated their experience 5/5
  • 9230000
  • 10560000

📍Geography

East of England

2025 Enhanced

Cats Protection Annual Report 2024

191,000 cats and kittens helped — 525 a day (2023: 184,000); 29,000 cats rehomed; 168,000 cats neutered including 13,000 feral cats; 93,000 cats microchipped
Key Metric 1
£96.9 million total income (2023: £89.3 million); £108.5 million net assets; £50.1 million legacy income; 9,800 volunteers (2023: 9,200)
Key Metric 2
430 cat owners helped to flee domestic abuse with 750 cats given temporary foster homes (Lifeline) — up from 229 in 2023; 5.9 million website visits; 1,290 welfare talks to 37,700 people in schools and community groups
Key Metric 3
Mandatory microchipping for cats in England came into force June 2024 — direct result of years of Cats Protection campaigning; Pet Abduction Act came into force August 2024 making cat theft a specific criminal offence; Cat Manifesto sent to every election candidate with 111 newly elected MPs having responded
2025 Enhanced

Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25

32,000 people participated in learning activities; 65,000 volunteer hours contributed; 250,000 biodiversity-boosting plants and bulbs planted; 24,000 snowdrops planted by Royal Parks Half Marathon runners
Key Metric 1
94% of public rated their visit as good or excellent; 5 consecutive years all 8 parks awarded Green Flag; 160,000+ members making 300,000+ visits; membership generated £5.8m plus £814k Gift Aid
Key Metric 2
1,000 free plants donated to local charities, community groups and schools; 200 old noticeboards and maps replaced; 12,500 enquiries handled by visitor support team; Greenwich Park flagship restoration project completed
Key Metric 3
Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden at Regent's Park received planning permission and is progressing — opening Spring 2026; Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground renewal received planning permission — opening Spring 2026; Greenwich Park flagship restoration project completed — new meadows, shrubs, community facilities
2024

Annual Report and Accounts 2023-2024

42,311 members and 1,609 volunteers giving 52,761 volunteer hours in 2023/24
Key Metric 1
4,084 hectares of peatland brought into restoration in 2023/24; 42,868 hectares restored cumulatively
Key Metric 2
15,000+ seagrass seed bags planted in Humber estuary, covering 10 hectares
Key Metric 3
111 nature reserves managed across Yorkshire