Members' Day
Members' Day
Saturday 6th September 2025
Potteric Carr nature reserve, near Doncaster
Come along and meet the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust leadership team, enjoy a walk with our wild experts, network with your fellow members and find out first-hand how your support is transforming the fortunes of our wildlife and wild places for the better!
Discover the programme
| 10:00am | Arrival, tea/coffee service |
| 10:30am | A warm welcome from Nick Perks (Chair of the Board) and Rachael Bice (CEO) |
| 11:00am | Choose from either of the following sessions (please select one per person): |
| Session one |
A guided walk around Potteric Carr Nature Reserve In autumn, nowhere is better for a guided walk than Potteric Carr nature reserve – filled to the brim with fungi, wetland wildlife, and autumn colour. Join our wildlife experts to discover this remnant of ancient fenland and the network of ponds teeming with life that nestle beneath our big-open skies. |
| Session two |
A guided walk around Parsons Carr Nature Reserve Parson’s Carr is the latest extension to Potteric Carr's wetland habitat. This former arable site of 104ha came into our care in 2024 and we've been busy transforming it to grass ever since. Join our team to find out more about our plans for this new reserve and to discover the interesting wildlife, including avocets, yellowhammers and marsh harriers, that are already calling it home. |
| Session three |
Presentation one: Re-introductions for wildlife conservation with Jim Horsfall Ever wondered what it really takes to bring a species back from the brink? Join Nature Reserve Team Leader, Jim, for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the thrilling and intricate world of species re-introductions. In this talk, Jim will reveal why we sometimes actively attempt to shape the future of Yorkshire's wildlife and what we need to consider before we act. He’ll also share some uplifting examples of re-introduction projects in Yorkshire, both past, present and in development. |
| Session four |
Presentation two: Beyond Domestication with bushcraft instructor, forager and author, George Knight Join George around the campfire for an exclusive exploration of the important themes he addresses in his latest book, Beyond Domestication. Beyond Domestication explores the complexities of modern living and demonstrates the importance of rewilding for the future of well-being, humanity and the sustainability of the planet. George's ultimate goal is to guide each of us toward a deeper, more meaningful connection with nature and our authentic selves and promote holistic health. |
| 12:30pm | Buffet lunch, plus an opportunity to network with fellow members, meet the leadership team and browse our stalls |
| 1:30pm | Afternoon sessions: choose another of the sessions above (please select one per person) |
| 3:00pm | Tea & coffee service. Closing remarks from Nick Perks & Rachael Bice |
| 4:00pm | Final departures |
Meet our speakers
Jim Horsfall
Nature Reserves Team Leader
A member of the YWT team since 2012, Jim has a wide experience of the nature reserves that we manage. Having overseen the major extension to Potteric Carr at Loversall Carr fields, and the new nature reserves at Carr Lodge, Manor Farm and Parson’s Carr, Jim has thought a lot about what species should be where in new habitats.
Jim is also a botanist and all round naturalist, and has spent much time thinking about the distribution of species in Yorkshire and across the north, and is a regular contributor to Yorkshire Naturalist’s Union journal, The Naturalist, on topics such as this.
George Knight
Author of Beyond Domestication
George embarked on his own rewilding journey to manage the symptoms of Crohn’s disease, a condition he was diagnosed with at age nine. After 21 years of battling the illness, George achieved remission in 2021 and has been largely symptom-free for the past six years.
George’s book, Beyond Domestication, introduces the Seven Practices of Wellbeing to enhance personal health and mindfulness. His lived experience with Crohn’s disease and rewilding was instrumental in forming the practices outlined in his book.
Meet the venue: Potteric Carr, our wonderful, wild, wetland
Potteric Carr Nature Reserve is a haven for people and wildlife. Nestled between the M18 motorway and East Coast mainline railway, just a few miles from Doncaster town centre, this is a green lung in an industrial landscape. It is a truly enchanting place; a remnant of the vast fenland that once stretched all the way across the Humber basin to the East coast. The reserve is a mosaic of wetland habitats, from reedbeds swaying gently under big open skies to winding woodland trails to networks of ponds teeming with life.
This mosaic of wetland and woodland attracts a diversity of birdlife; from the elusive booming bittern, and the curved beaked avocet, (both amber listed birds), to the chattering starlings that fill the skies with their ariel displays. The most patient visitors may even spot a roe deer or hare, while the enthusiastic pond dipping children will be rewarded with toads, newts and dragonflies. This 240-hectare site has over 5 miles of trails and walkways, a Visitor Centre with gift shop and café, and Education Centre and an outdoor learning area for Forest Schools.
Potteric Carr is a haven for the local community keen to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life and offers unique wildlife experiences to visitors who travel here specially to hear the booming bittern and watch the autumn and winter starling murmuration’s.
Hazel dormouse - Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
Our Annual General Meeting
We're excited to invite our members to join us for our 79th Annual General Meeting, which will take place online on Saturday 4th October 2025 from 10am-12pm.
Discover our programme, including the details of our very special guest speaker, below.