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A new chapter for the Trust as CEO appointment is announced

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is delighted to announce the appointment of Tom Burditt as our new Chief Executive.
CEO

Tom is currently General Manager in the North Lakes for the National Trust, and brings with him not only a wealth of experience but a real passion for nature.

Tom will take the reins from long-standing Chief Executive Anne Selby. Anne has spent decades building a strong foundation for the Trust, keeping it at the forefront of the fight to protect our wildlife and wild places for the future.

Tom said:

“I am really delighted to be joining Lancashire Wildlife Trust. It is a tough time for our natural world at the moment, and a tough and uncertain time for all of us, too. But if the last six months have taught us anything, it is how much we all need daily access to nature, wildlife and green space on our doorsteps, and the joy that a butterfly, the colour and smell of wildflowers, or the snatch of birdsong can bring.

“I’m looking forward to working with all our staff, volunteers, Trustees, supporters, members, visitors and partners to do my bit to steer us through these difficult times, to build on all the wonderful work our Wildlife Trust is doing in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and North Merseyside, and to help make sure we can work together to reverse the declines in our wildlife in real and tangible ways.”

Steve Garland, Chair of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust said:

"I am delighted to welcome Tom to the Lancashire Wildlife Trust at such an exciting, yet challenging time.  Anne Selby led the Trust to new levels and the Trustees are looking forward to working with Tom and his team to reach new heights as we work to secure a wilder future."

Tom will join the Trust in December this year.

A little more about Tom...

I live in North Lancashire with my wife Nancy and two children, Roddy (15) and Flora (12). I know how lucky I am, because Morecambe Bay is a very special part of the world and I can’t imagine wanting to live anywhere else now that I have made my home here. The other part of the county I have a strong association with is Oldham, where my wife was born and bred and where most of her family still live.

I grew up in the west country, near Taunton, and I remember the school careers advice team asking me what I wanted to do. When I said I wanted to be an environmentalist, they laughed at me and told me that wasn’t a job and perhaps I should consider a doctor or something else instead. I was not to be swayed.

Since then, I have worked for Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (for 10 years), where I managed Lower Woods nature reserve and then become Nature Reserves Development Manager. For the last 10 years I have been working for the National Trust, first looking after the team and land around Morecambe Bay before taking on the role as General Manager for the North Lakes, which includes most of the river Derwent, five lakes, the Borrowdale Atlantic oak woods, Wild Ennerdale, the St Bees and Whitehaven coast, mountains, farms, car parks, houses and shops. I am also chair of Morecambe Bay Partnership, a trustee of the grant-giving Halpin Trust and a scout leader here in Lonsdale.

My favourite wildlife is always what I am seeing or hearing right now: those special encounters that capture your attention. I strongly believe that as well as trying to stop global declines in 'biodiversity' that everyone, wherever you live, deserves and needs daily contact with nature. We all need nature to be healthy, happy and human.

So, although I have a particular soft spot for a few species - nightingales, brown hares, swifts, marsh fritillary butterflies and birch trees - it is the encounters in my garden that mean the most to me. Hearing oystercatchers peeping in the field opposite, finding a dunnocks nest in the back garden, a nuthatch on the bird feeder, a violet ground beetle in our veg patch, a newt in the woodpile or the time when I looked up from my table, working from home during lockdown, and saw a stoat staring at me through the window from our window box.

Tom Burditt