NHSN’s Young Naturalist Appeal 2025

Your donation helps inspire more young people to discover their inner naturalist

1/2

£10

Nature Activity Bag with wildlife book, notepad, pencils and spotter sheets

£30

Three young people's field trip to Gosforth Nature Reserve

£50

Six young people's field trip to Gosforth Nature Reserve

£150

Four young people to experience a day trip at a regional wildlife wow destination eg Farne Islands

Support NHSN’s Young Naturalists Appeal today

Many local young people lack the money and opportunity to experience and learn about local wildlife and wildplaces. You can change that.

Last year, NHSN helped 250 young naturalists; in 2025, our goal is to reach 500!

Double Your Impact: NHSN will match your donation to reach more people to becomes tomorrow’s wildlife heroes’. Your donation this Christmas will gift a child the opportunity to learn about nature and could inspire a lifetime of enjoying nature.

Donate here

How your support is making a difference

Your support is already making a difference for young people across the North East, providing opportunities and experiences to those who need them most.

North East Young Naturalists Appeal

Can you help us benefit more young North East naturalists than ever before? Last time, you helped raise over £6,000. Can we aim for £10,000 this time? NHSN supports young naturalists aged 6 to 20 to notice, enjoy and protect our region’s wildlife and wild places.

The North East Young Naturalists Appeal brightens up the lives of children and young people who lack the opportunity to experience nature, even on their own doorstep. 100% of your donations directly benefits young naturalists. NHSN will match every individual donation, pledging a total of £5,000 to match your support.

Sandra (left). Just one of many young people supported by the Lantern Fund across the North East.

Going to the Farne Islands was so fun, and we saw and learned so much. I would not have got to go there without the Lantern Fund as we don’t have money for things like that.

We got close as a family doing 30 days wild. It made me feel calm and I didn’t feel as much stress and pressure about school and family worries, nature was a way out of it.

Thank you for the experience. I notice nature so much more and think more about the world since having the opportunity to really look, we are not the only things in it.

Sandra, age 15

Many young people in our region do not have the opportunity to visit natural spaces or feel they are ‘for them’. COVID-19 has led to huge feelings of isolation, disconnection and anxiety amongst young people. Encouraging them to spend time looking at the nature around them has helped them to feel part of something bigger and brought a sense of calm to their often turbulent home lives.

The sense of joy and wonder on young people’s faces during wildlife encounters and exploring wild places is testament to the importance of encouraging more time in nature, especially in such challenging times.
Alana Dunton, Project Worker, Children North East

It’s in our history

Past NHSN members cared deeply about inspiring the next generation. In 1902, they launched a series of Christmas lectures for young people.

Delivered by lantern light in the Hancock Museum, these proved popular, attended by hundreds of school children from across Newcastle. Over a century later, these early events continue to inspire our work to connect children with nature today.

Young people need nature

Young people today face many barriers connecting with the natural world, yet the benefits of time in nature are clear. On a personal level, it builds confidence, reduces stress and encourages responsibility.

By spending time outdoors and learning about wildlife, young people learn to appreciate and understand the natural world. Nature needs all the help it can get and these lessons may encourage young people to protect it in the future.