People have a unique opportunity to become part of a millions strong movement to change the lives of animals for the better in 2025, by becoming a Wildlife Friend with the RSPCA.
Last year more than 2,000 people signed up for Wildlife Friends and completed a range of seasonal tasks aimed at helping wildlife to thrive in their own gardens and community green spaces. These included building dead hedges and bug hotels and cleaning bird feeders.
Now, the RSPCA is relaunching Wildlife Friends with Spring in full swing so even more animal lovers can enjoy fun activities that will help protect and nurture wildlife.
By volunteering and taking action for animals in their communities, the microvolunteers taking part will not only be helping wildlife but will be ensuring that the animal charity’s highly-skilled frontline staff have more time to focus on tackling cruelty and neglect.
Last year there was a 35% increase in the numbers (10,209) of wild animals admitted to the RSPCA’s four wildlife centres, compared to 2023 (7,519). And the animal charity fielded 40,003 incidents relating to wild animals in 2024, including 5,353 in Greater London. The need to increase awareness of the problems faced by wildlife and how best it can be protected has never been greater. That is why the 336 people who have already joined up as Wildlife Friends in Greater London are helping to make a difference.
Wildlife Friends enjoyed an inspiring start this week when social media influencer Esme Higgs visited RSPCA Mallydams Wood Wildlife Centre (pictured above) to learn about the work staff do rehabilitating wild animals so they can be released back into the wild. Esme has generated a huge social media following promoting horse welfare, best practice in equestrianism and her own experiences of countryside life. Her commitment to nature was enhanced further by a tour of the East Sussex centre, which included feeding seals their lunch, meeting two fox cubs that had recently been rescued from a building site and filling up the bird feeders in the woods as part of her Wildlife Friends tasks.
Esme said: “We all know our natural world is facing huge challenges but the great news is that everyone can do something to help. We need everyone for every animal. If you want to get involved, become a RSPCA Wildlife Friends to find dozens of simple ways you can make life better for wildlife in your community.
“All these small acts of kindness don’t take long, but they’ll make a huge difference for animals, so join thousands of other people who care, and sign up today.”
Wildlife Friends has proved hugely popular with those seeking out volunteering opportunities with the RSPCA because of the ease with which they can sign up and complete tasks. It has opened up volunteering to people who might not be able to join in with our volunteering activities because they work full time or don’t live close to a centre. Seventy per cent of the RSPCA’s microvolunteers, including Wildlife Friends, are aged 16 to 34 and more than 10% of Wildlife Friends identify as being of Asian origin – making it one of the RSPCA’s most diverse volunteering opportunities.
Among the regular volunteers for Wildlife Friends since the scheme was first launched in 2023 is Charlotte Lister, a busy mother from Retford, Nottinghamshire (pictured on the right with friend Marcie Reed), who says taking part helped her lose weight and banish stress. Charlotte’s dedication to the environment has seen her complete many tasks over the years.
“This will be my third year volunteering as a Wildlife Friend for the RSPCA and it’s been an amazing experience. The tasks you complete benefit animals and they are great for your own wellbeing too. I found spending time outdoors and connecting with nature has been amazing for my mental health, relieved stress and boosted my mood,” said Charlotte.
“I suffered from a really bad bout of food poisoning at the end of last year and was off work for a long period, but getting involved in Wildlife Friends has given me a real lift. I completed every task in 2023 and I’m determined to do them all in 2025. They give you a real sense of achievement and so many of them are easy to do such as cleaning bird feeders.
“By signing up you will be joining thousands of people across the UK who are working together to build a better world for every animal. No matter how much time you have – five minutes or five hours a week – there is something you can do to protect and nurture wildlife in your community. Whether you live in a flat or a narrowboat or a house with a garden there are simple and meaningful ways you can get involved from creating safe and clean habitats to helping injured wildlife.”
Last year hedgehogs (2,275) and wood pigeons (1,113) were the wild animals most likely to need specialist assistance from the charity’s skilled staff. But by helping to create habitats and environments where wildlife can thrive and be safe from harm Wildlife Friends can make a difference for the nation’s wildlife.
For their first task of Spring Wildlife Friends have been making a simple apple and seed bird feeder, as demonstrated by Charlotte. Other tasks to complete during the Spring include building a nest box for all kinds of wildlife in your garden, including bats, as well building neighbourhood corridors for wildlife such as hedgehogs. Building bug hotels and planting wildlife-friendly plants to support the local ecosystem are also other tasks that have been set for later in the season.
The RSPCA’s Lead Wildlife Officer Inspector Geoff Edmond has some invaluable tips about what kind of wildlife-friendly plants to sow.
“There are many species you can plant that are beneficial for wildlife and can be enjoyed during the year. They include native shrubs such as Hawthorn and Bramble as well as Berberis, which flower in the spring to provide insect nectar, and produce berries in the autumn which the birds will enjoy,” explained Geoff.
“Some shrubs like these do have thorns and are prickly but this provides extra safe nesting sites for birds. Something everyone can do easily is to sow wildflower seeds in containers, plant pots and gardens between April and May. They will add colour and beauty to your outdoor environment and provide nectar rich sources for bees, butterflies and other insects.
“It’s great fun seeing lovely flowers buzzing with activity on a late Spring/Summer’s day when you see beautiful butterflies feeding on your plants. Whatever you plant it will make a difference, and is the start of a journey with nature which you are taking to safeguard our wildlife.”
