Hi, I’m Alice, I’m a Living Landscape officer for Cheshire Wildlife Trust, I manage our sites across Delamere including the Delamere beaver project. I enjoy mountain biking, photography, yoga, and adventures with my Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retriever puppy, Seren. 

I always knew I wanted to work in conservation and went to study Zoology with Conservation at Bangor University. After graduating I briefly volunteered the Wildlife Trust before I was successful in obtaining a highly competitive paid traineeship as a trainee ranger for Shropshire Wildlife trust, where I passed several land-based licences including my chainsaw licence.

I have worked for several different environmental organisations and have volunteered for wildlife rescue centres, zoos and my favourite, the Wolf Conservation Trust in Berkshire. At the time of graduating, getting a job in the conservation sector was not easy, it has taken me a long time to get where I am now. But I persevered, I kept applying for jobs and got the experience I needed, which has led to this exciting position and although it’s not working with wolves, I can't wait to see what the future will be for our Delamere beavers and what other wildlife I can help bring back to Cheshire!!

Hi my name is Emily and I am originally from Australia but I came to the UK 12 years ago for, believe it or not, for the weather (and work)! I used to be a zookeeper at Chester Zoo and then transitioned into delivering informal education within zoos before moving to my current position, looking after communications and behaviour change campaigns for the Our Dee Estuary project at Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

I have been mad about the natural world since I was knee high to a grasshopper. When I was a toddler I used to sit in pot plants and eat soil! When I got a bit bigger I would go out into the garden and find as many critters as I could that I could add to my collection, which in Australia was kind of risky but hey I am still here!

Outside of work I love keeping active with Pilates and Yoga classes as well as litter picking. I am a keen performer and am part of my village community choir. Working at Cheshire Wildlife Trust was one of the best decisions I've made.

My interest in wildlife began at Pott Shrigley Primary School back in the 1970s. My teachers were keen bird watchers and nature walks were a weekly occurrence. The love of biology stayed with me and I did a degree in biological sciences and became molecular biologist working for Astra Zeneca. Later I went to Manchester University where I did a PhD and worked as a Post-Doctoral Research scientist.

My scientific career had to be juggled around having three children and inevitably compromises had to be made. Twice I made life choices that prioritised family over career, but this also gave me an opportunity to learn botanical skills and volunteer for the wildlife trusts. I don’t know how my career would have panned out had I started in science, but I’m pleased I chose to move into ecology. . It even meant I could make my hobby my job!

Since starting at Cheshire Wildlife Trust in 2010, I've focused on the impact of land-use changes on wildlife, exploring a new biodiversity measuring tool to hold developers accountable. This work led to early efforts introducing Biodiversity Net Gain in Cheshire, making CWT the first BNG offset provider. Leading the Evidence and Planning team, we influence conservation strategies and policies, with significant achievements including helping Defra refine the biodiversity tool, educating ecologists UK-wide, challenging HS2's environmental calculations, and presenting evidence at the Transport Select Committee, culminating in a memorable visit to Downing Street.

I’m Kat, Senior Digital Marketing Officer at Cheshire Wildlife Trust. I work in the fundraising team, helping recruit new supporters and raise money through our appeals. I also write our weekly e-newsletter, which I love!

I started working at Cheshire Wildlife Trust when I decided to combine my career in communications with my passions outside of work – nature and the outdoors! In my spare time, I try to spend as much of it outdoors as I can. I love hiking, exploring and spending my weekends travelling to different parts of the country.  As much as I love travelling, I definitely have a soft spot for local walks, particularly Hilbre Island and the Sandstone Trail!

I love having the opportunity to help people discover nature on their doorstep and the amazing wildlife we have here in the UK. It’s great to come to work every day with like-minded people who are really passionate about nature, including some brilliant and inspirational women!

Hi, I'm Holly, a 27-year-old from South Manchester. I love travelling to new places, doing pilates, walking in nature and I dabble in a bit of wildlife photography.

I'm the Rewilding Stockport Officer at Cheshire Wildlife Trust! I work closely with individuals, community groups and schools to enhance areas across Stockport for wildlife and people. From creating hedgehog havens and planting wildflowers to delivering educational talks, every day brings a new opportunity to make a positive impact.

After a Criminology degree at Durham University and a stint in content marketing, the Covid-19 lockdown spurred me on to pursue a career that aligned with my passion for the outdoors and conserving the national world.

I didn’t have any experience in wildlife conservation, so I took the leap and enrolled in a Masters program in Wildlife Conservation at UWE Bristol. Post-graduation, I started a traineeship at Knowsley Safari, working on their Red Squirrel Conservation project. And now? Well, here I am, enjoying my role at Cheshire Wildlife Trust!

I love most the sense of purpose I feel each morning, knowing I’m making a difference, is truly fulfilling.  Plus, the opportunity to connect with inspiring individuals, continuously learn, and engage in a variety of tasks ensures that no two days are the same, keeping things exciting.

Hey, I’m Rachel and I work on all things digital, and media related at Cheshire Wildlife Trust. I started my career straight out of college into an apprenticeship where I worked as a Marketing Assistant and progressed up through the ranks. Most of my studies have been in business, communications, and marketing but my passion and love has always been helping animals in need, supporting wildlife and being out in nature. I went back to college later in my working life and studied for a Conservation and Countryside Management degree, which comes in handy having a role at the Trust which combines all my studies and passions.

Outside of work my interests are in photography and content creation with a combined social media following of 150k. I use my influence to encourage people to appreciate the British countryside, nature, and the beautiful places we have on our doorstep in the UK. I spend my weekends exploring and spending quality time with family.

Working alongside inspiring women at Cheshire Wildlife Trust fills me with immense pride and gratitude. It’s amazing to work somewhere where everyone is on the same page and is dedicated to fighting for wildlife’s recovery and ensuring nature is protected for generations to come.

Hi, I’m Mélusine, I’m French and American and moved to the UK a few years ago to do my Master’s in ecology and conservation at ICL. I loved being in the UK (mainly for the walks on public footpaths and the cakes) and found a way to stay for a while. When I’m not working, I like to go on hikes to explore the Chester area, boulder at the climbing gym, and make collages at home.

I’ve only been at the Wildlife Trust for about 3 months but am thrilled to be here as the Planning and Advocacy Officer. My job is to object to planning applications that are damaging to important species, habitats, and wildlife sites and suggest mitigation and compensation measures for them. I also influence local plans and policy to create a good basis for enforcement of nature recovery and wildlife-friendly measures across the county. Working at CWT is a dream; I love working in such a friendly environment where everyone is as passionate and devoted to nature as I am, and to get the opportunity to advocate for nature is the reason I got into ecology.

Hello! I’m Becki Ralph, the Wilder Childhood Manager at Cheshire Wildlife Trust. In this role, I support nurseries, schools, and other educational groups in their efforts to learn more and do more for wildlife. We achieve this by collaborating with educators, utilising their outdoor spaces, and organising inspiring trips to our nature reserves, along with teacher training.

My diverse career has included teaching, heading up training and development for a nursery chain, and teaching further education and first aid. During my time in nurseries, I had the opportunity to study the Udeskole approach to outdoor learning while in Denmark, which ignited my passion for using nature and the outdoors as powerful tools for learning and development.

Working for the Wildlife Trust has reinforced my belief that children and educators can significantly contribute to nature’s well-being. Witnessing firsthand the positive impact people are making for nature right here in our local communities is incredibly rewarding. In my spare time, I enjoy family moments, going on campervan adventures, stand-up paddleboarding, outdoor swimming, and I run painting classes.

My name is Hannah Mcgonagle, my hobbies include reading, sewing and heritage exploring. I am a Supporter Care Officer for Cheshire Wildlife Trust which includes looking after our members and supporters.

I got into conservation through the heritage sector of wanting to preserve historical objects and now wanting to protect and restore wildlife havens.

I enjoy mixing with a wide range of people from all academic backgrounds and interests.

Hello, I’m Julie and work in the Fundraising and Engagement Team of Cheshire Wildlife Trust. I am a Wilder Childhood Officer, which involves engaging children and adults to connect with nature. I also help at events to inspire children and families to take action for nature. My hobbies are related to the outdoors, so sometimes it’s difficult to remember whether or not I am at work.

During my free time, I help run a community woodland. This can be anything that helps improve the site's biodiversity, from hedge laying or pond maintenance to encouraging people to come along and join in. My favourite, though, is managing the wildflower meadow. Probably because I have just learnt to scythe and love watching the diversity of wildflowers increase year after year and the array of invertebrates they attract. I have a passion for bats so help with bat work, occasional bat care, and hibernation and nestbox surveys.

I’ve come a full circle. For my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, I studied ecology and then worked for an environmental consultancy. After that, I became a teacher but maintained an interest in conservation, volunteering with various wildlife groups. This led to me running a forest school team, where I continued to enjoy teaching outdoor learning and linking that to nature. But I felt I wanted to fully commit to raising awareness about the struggles of nature and how everyone can help and found myself working for Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

I enjoy the camaraderie between my colleagues and me - we are all on the same page fighting for wildlife.

I head up the fundraising, marketing, and engagement team at Cheshire Wildlife Trust.  There’s lots of variety in this role and it builds on my previous roles in teaching (many moons ago!), corporate PR & marketing, project management and fundraising.   It was always my dream to work for a local wildlife trust and about eight years ago, I joined the Trust as Fundraising Manager. 

As the Trust’s work has developed, I’ve been able to develop my work too which has been great.  I like to keep moving forward and love a new challenge!  Meeting and talking to supporters is one of the best parts of my job as well as seeing some of the positive changes that they’re helping to make possible.  I love working in a role that is helping to make a difference for nature and people. 

Being able to do this while working as part of a team of passionate, skilled and supportive colleagues is amazing.    

Hello, I’m Lydia, I’m the Facilities Officer at Cheshire Wildlife Trust and my main role is to look after our three office sites located across Cheshire and to sit on our Health and Safety Committee, responsible for our workplaces and supporting the procedures around health and safety. In my last job, a colleague told me about the amazing time they had working at a wildlife trust and that’s what made me want to work here and I’m so glad I do, the amazing work the Trust does and the relentless passion of all its staff and volunteers is inspiring.

One part of my job now is to help induct new starters and the thing I always tell them is that there’s no chance you’ll ever have the same day twice whilst working at CWT. Working here is like a whirlwind in the best way, you’ll always be encouraged to try new things, learn, and grow. You’ll never be able to predict what’s around the corner but the people you’ll work alongside are the best you’ll ever come across.

I started with lots of environmental volunteering as a teenager followed by a degree in Biology. I later went back to university and got a masters in Countryside Management. My first job was as a countryside ranger and as well as looking after a large park, I managed the petting zoo that was in the park. From there I moved on to work in other parks for a total of 8 years doing all sorts of things like running events, taking children on school trips and looking after nature.

I then got a job with Cheshire Wildlife Trust as a 'biodiversity manager' which meant that I looked after lots of projects aimed at helping wildlife. A few years later I became the Director of Conservation where I managed a team of people who took care of nature reserves and countryside projects. Ten years ago I became CEO (the boss), which means that its my job to look after the organisation and the people who work for it in a way that means we can do as much for nature as possible.

Hi, my names Rachael and I'm a Wilder Lives Officer at Cheshire Wildlife Trust. My role consists of running and attending events across Cheshire to inspire people to take action for wildlife as well as supporting our Wilder Champion Network.

I have loved wildlife since childhood, but I only discovered what I wanted to do as a career in my early twenties. I studied photography at Manchester School of Art, but soon after I graduated, I realised I wanted to work in wildlife conservation. I found a traineeship at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and learnt so many new skills within the year which gave me the confidence and knowledge I needed to pursue a job in wildlife conservation. 

Working for Cheshire Wildlife Trust is great because I am surrounded by people who are just as passionate about wildlife as I am. It's a great feeling working for a charity that is doing such amazing things to help wildlife across the whole of Cheshire and I feel really proud to be a part of it.