NHSN is a voluntary organisation run by its membership. With your support, volunteers make a difference for nature, from the Tees to the Tweed.

Restoring North East Nature

Restoring North East Nature is NHSN’s plan to grow and widen public support to help tackle the climate and ecological emergency that threatens our region’s wildlife and wild places.

Thanks to your membership and support, NHSN will engage many more people each year throughout the region to restore North East nature. Find out more below.

Annual Report 2024/25

Thanks to our fantastic members, volunteers and supporters, 2024/25 was a great year in the long history of NHSN. Find out more by downloading a copy of our Annual Report below.

Equity Policy

NHSN is committed to treating all people, inside and outside the organisation, with fairness and respect. NHSN strives to reach beyond its legal responsibilities to achieve and promote equity. Find out more by downloading a copy of our equity policy.

Our Purpose

Inspiring wonder and collective action in all aspects of North East natural history through the delivery of high-quality communications, events, lifelong learning, citizen science, Gosforth Nature Reserve and a regional natural history archive & library.

Our Values

• We are a local independent wildlife charity, led by volunteers, celebrating all aspects of North East natural history – the nature, the naturalists and organisations and the culture, such as wildlife art and nature notebooks
• We’re welcoming to all. Since we formed in 1829, our purpose has been to widen and grow a passion for North East natural history by welcoming people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities
• We help each other. We listen and respond to people’s needs and aspirations and help fulfil their potential by tailoring and improving what we offer across the region.
• We inspire wonder. We engage people to discover and nurture their passion for natural history through a constantly evolving programme of events, publications and more.
• We encourage learning. Our core purpose is to help people understand and protect nature through gaining skills and knowledge through lifelong learning and first-hand experience of nature.

The North East is home to spectacular wildlife and wild places. But a climate and ecological crisis, caused by human activities, is threatening the region’s natural environment.
There is so much to protect and restore back to a healthier environment. We still have time to turn things around if enough people get involved and take action for nature.

Clare Freeman, NHSN Director

NHSN Annual Report and Financial Statements

Below, you can download a copy of this year’s NHSN Annual Report and Financial Statements. This document was subject to approval by NHSN members at this year’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 15 January.