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Patron Appeal

After 12 years as Woodland Trust patron, Dame Judi Dench has written this special and urgent message: please help us continue our vital conservation work across the UK. 

"I think of trees as family, so when I was asked to be patron of the Woodland Trust, I was honoured to accept and do something to help the work of such a worthwhile charity, that has itself come to feel like family to me.

As patron, I feel incredibly proud to be part of such a unique and passionate community of supporters. I know that, like me, you are someone who cares deeply about the future of our woods, our wildlife and the world we will all eventually leave behind. 

Every gift grows, so please donate to help safeguard our woodland and wildlife – making a difference for generations to come.

Credit: WTML

We are living through a wildlife and climate emergency that threatens the very landscapes we treasure. Ancient woods are under pressure. Iconic species are struggling to survive. Legendary trees are disappearing and yet, there is still hope because of wonderful charities like the Woodland Trust and because of amazing people like you. 

In the 12 years I have been Woodland Trust patron, I've been privileged to meet so many of its fabulous staff and volunteers at events across the UK. I have never failed to be impressed by their environmental knowledge, their conservation expertise and their enthusiastic vision for a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature.

                  

That time of year thou mayst in me behold

When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang

Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,

Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.

In me thou see'st the twilight of such day

As after sunset fadeth in the west,

Which by and by black night doth take away,

Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.

In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire

That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,

As the death-bed whereon it must expire,

Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by.

This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,

To love that well which thou must leave ere long.

The Trust's work is truly groundbreaking

Like its mission to save our temperate rainforests – a vitally important and rare habitat which wasn't widely known about until recent years. Or its outreach work with landowners, helping them restore the damaged ancient woods in their care. Or its landscape-scale recovery at sites such as Snaizeholme in Yorkshire. A mosaic of habitats for rare species like the red squirrel and black grouse is springing back to life there, helped by donations to a recent appeal. 

Your support has been instrumental in all this fantastic work. You have already helped plant millions of trees, protected precious woodland and given rare birds, insects and mammals a chance to thrive. But there is so much more to do and we cannot do it without you. 

Why woods and trees are important to me

Credit: Philip Formby / WTML

Living history

There is something so timeless about trees. Some of the oldest in our care – our living legends – were putting down roots centuries ago, silently witnessing the unfolding story of our nation. Today, those same trees, and the wildlife that depends on them, need our help more than ever.

The Major Oak has provided inspiration for countless stories, poems, paintings and people for more than 1,000 years – all the while itself teeming with life and providing a home to an enormous range of wildlife.

I was lucky enough to plant an oak sapling from Sherwood Forest with Woodland Trust chief executive Darren Moorcroft in my garden recently. It has a special place alongside the cutting from the Sycamore Gap tree.

Credit: WTML

A place of renewal

When I walk through the woods, or wander among the many old trees in my garden, I am struck by how it feels like stepping into another world. Sunlight pierces the canopy in a kaleidoscope of rays, birdsong echoes between the trunks, and the air carries that unmistakable fresh scent of leaves and earth. It’s an invigorating tonic for the soul. 

Sometimes I’m lucky enough to hear the drum of a great spotted woodpecker as I walk among the trees at my home. 

I feel alive in cool, shady ancient woodland, like the Trust’s Fingle Woods in Devon. It refreshes my soul. It’s imperative that we don’t lose any more. 

Credit: David Plummer / Alamy Stock Photo

Worth protecting 

It’s so important that we restore the balance of nature in our woods. If we are to win our fight for people and planet, then the trees we plant and the woods we protect today must outlive us all. Who could imagine a summer stroll without the glorious sight of a British butterfly, like the delicate white admiral, or ancient woodland carpeted with bluebells each spring?  

And that’s why I’m asking for your help today: we need more of this in our lives, not less.

Woods are essential for our wellbeing – both mentally and physically. A donation to my special Patron Appeal will make a huge difference to the work of the Woodland Trust for years to come, helping ensure that future generations can still walk beneath leafy canopies, still hear that spring dawn chorus, and still feel the refreshing wonder that only a woodland can bring. It would mean so much to me if you would consider donating in my name. How wonderful it will be to know that together we have made a real difference for the UK’s woods, trees and wildlife.

I know that against a backdrop of distressing world events and ongoing turmoil it can sometimes be hard to focus on what is truly fundamental to our existence – nature and the environment. So, please accept my personal thanks for your commitment as part of this remarkable community of people who care for our planet and believe in its future, and, if you are able, make a donation in my name today."

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Prefer to donate offline?

By phone

Call us on 0330 333 3300 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, quoting 'Patron' and our friendly team will be there to assist.

By post

Send a cheque to our head office at Patron Appeal, Woodland Trust, Kempton Way, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6LL. Please make cheques payable to the Woodland Trust. 

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