Animal welfare charity the RSPCA is inviting people to join a million-strong movement by becoming a Wildlife Friend.
Influencer: Esme Higgs went along to a RSPCA wildlife centre in Sussex to find out what Wildlife Friends can do
By volunteering and taking action for animals in their gardens, open spaces and communities, the Wildlife Friend volunteers will not only be helping wildlife but will be ensuring that the RSPCA’s frontline staff have more time to focus on tackling cruelty and neglect.
Last year there was a 35% increase in the number of wild animals admitted to the RSPCA’s four wildlife centres. And the 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,” the charity says.
Wildlife Friends enjoyed an inspiring start this week when social media influencer Esme Higgs visited RSPCA Mallydams Wood Wildlife Centre in East Sussex to learn about the work staff do rehabilitating animals so they can be released back into the wild.
Higgs’ visit included feeding seals their lunch, meeting two fox cubs that had been rescued from a building site and filling up the bird feeders in the woods as part of her Wildlife Friends tasks.
She 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 Friend 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 work full-time or don’t live close to a centre. The RSPCA says that Wildlife Friends is among their most diverse volunteering opportunities.
Birdfeeders: one of the spring tasks for Wildlife Friends is to provide food for wild birds
For their first task of spring 2025, Wildlife Friends have been making a simple apple and seed bird feeder. Other tasks to complete include building a nest box for all kinds of wildlife in your garden, including bats, as well building neighbourhood corridors for 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.
“There are many species you can plant that are beneficial for wildlife and can be enjoyed during the year,” according to Geoff Edmond, the RSPCA’s lead wildlife officer inspector.
“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.
“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.”
The RSPCA says:“By becoming an RSPCA Wildlife Friend, animal lovers can join with their community to make a safe space for the animals who share our world. The RSPCA’s Wildlife Friends volunteering scheme is great for anyone who can spare even just a few minutes, or a couple of hours, to create a better and kinder world for every animal.”
Read more: RSPCA in public appeal to gardeners to help nurture nature
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