The region’s foremost independent wildlife charity, Cheshire Wildlife Trust is a grassroots movement of dedicated conservationists united in the fight against the climate crisis, the return of native wildlife, and the restoration of a thriving, natural world. An initiative we are incredibly proud to contribute to through our partnership with 1% for the planet.

At Warner House, we believe that preserving the beauty of our natural world is a responsibility we all share. With a proud British heritage spanning back nearly 200 years, we are deeply committed to initiatives that work towards protecting and enhancing our local environment, safeguarding it for future generations. This commitment recently led us to take time away from our desks and into nature, learning more about the important work of the Trust, and giving back to the Cheshire countryside, which many of us call home.

Once coined a ‘green and pleasant land’ by the poet William Blake, the reality of our modern countryside is in stark contrast. Long associated with diverse ecosystems and stunning landscapes, today the United Kingdom is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries, with intensive farming practices, urbanisation and development resulting in extensive habitat loss and declining biodiversity. According to WWF, currently more than one in seven native animal and insect species are at risk of extinction, and over 40% are in fast decline. These worrying trends highlight the urgent need for collective action to help reverse this decline, and restore a greener, more vibrant world.

Our team spent two transformative days in Bickley Hall’s enchanting plant nursery. We potted on indigenous hawthorns, hornbeams, field maples and knapweeds as part of the Trust’s meadow creation project which aims to generate new native woodland in line with the government’s ambitious tree planting targets, whilst fortifying local genetics. Today, over 50% of the UK’s plant species are non-native and growing, and so our hope is that the 1,500 saplings we planted during our time at the farm will contribute to the foundation of a thriving new ecosystem, promoting biodiversity and an environment in which our native wildlife can once again flourish.

We left Bickley Hall Farm with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to our own environmental beliefs, that sustainability is not a fleeting trend but a lifelong commitment. At Warner House our ethos is rooted in striking the balance between celebrating our heritage and championing sustainable practices for a brighter future. Beyond our annual donation and regular team volunteering days, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint, sourcing responsibly and as close to home as possible and working with skilled craftspeople to create beautiful products that will stand the test of time.

Warner House looks forward to continuing to support Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s conservation efforts, engaging in meaningful initiatives such as the upcoming seed collection to build on the existing bank of native tree seeds for long-term conservation.

Click here to learn more about the truly remarkable work of the Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

If you are interested in reading more about our own environmental commitments, you can view our Sustainability Policy here.