Wilder Conference & Awards 2025
Date: Thursday 23 October 2025
Location: The Point Theatre, 14 Leigh Road, Eastleigh SO50 9DE
Conference: 11:45 – 15:45
Awards Ceremony: 16:15 – 17:30
Join us for a powerful day of ideas, discussion, and celebration as we come together to accelerate action for nature.
Hosted by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, the Wilder Conference & Awards 2025 brings together leading voices, passionate communities, and nature champions who are inspiring a movement for a wilder future.
This year’s conference marks a major milestone: the launch of our refreshed Wilder strategy. Launched in 2019, Wilder 2030 set bold ambitions for nature’s recovery. Six years on, we’re taking stock, acknowledging the scale of the challenge ahead, and reigniting the urgency to drive nature positive change through the next four years and to 2040.
Alongside this milestone, we are delighted to host two inspiring discussion panels, bringing together some of the most influential voices in conservation, farming, business and community action:
Discussion Panel 1: Changing the system from global to local
- Craig Bennett (CEO, The Wildlife Trusts)
- Julia Davies (Impact investor)
- Liz Bonnin (President, The Wildlife Trusts)
- Siôn McGeever (CEO, South Downs National Park)
- Sue Pritchard (CEO, Food Farming & Countryside Commission)
Discussion Panel 2: The importance of local change, taking action & the ripple effect
- Barnes Edwards (Isle of Wight Organic Farmer)
- Cllr Kate Tuck (Basingstoke & Deane Borough Councillor)
- Megan McCubbin (President, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust)
- Nick Smith (Director, Southern Coop)
- Theo Vickers (Underwater Photographer & Marine Biologist)
Please note: this event follows our Annual General Meeting.
Agenda
11:45 – 15:45
Wilder Conference
Join us for an afternoon of talks, panels, and discussions exploring the future of nature’s recovery, including the launch of our refreshed Wilder 2030 strategy.
16:15 – 17:30
Wilder Awards
These awards celebrate the amazing individuals, groups, and organisations across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight who are helping to make our communities wilder.
From local action to landscape-scale change, the Wilder Awards recognise those who are inspiring others and making a real difference for nature.
Award categories include:
- Young Changemaker
- Wilder School
- Individual Action
- Collective Action
- Food & Farming with Nature
- Wilder Business
- Nature Restoration Project
Access and Parking
The Point is in Eastleigh Town Centre within easy walking distance of Eastleigh bus and railway station and a short drive from the M3 and M27 motorways. The venue has space for bicycles outside the building in a visible area where they can be easily locked.
To help you find the The Point use:
Postcode: SO50 9DE – the entrance is on Leigh Road
What3Words: ///scan.sands.cloud https://w3w.co/scan.sands.cloud
Venue Accessibility:
- Ground floor
- Full disabled access
- Hearing loop system
Nearest Parking:
The Point does not have a public car park.
Long-stay Pay & Display Car Parks, both with disabled spaces:
- Mitchell Road multi-storey car park – Mitchell Road, Eastleigh SO50 5RN (0.4 miles)
- Swan Shopping Centre multi-storey car park – Wells Place, Eastleigh SO50 5PB (0.4 miles)
Other Pay & Display Car Parks in the town centre are closer to The Point but these have a maximum stay of 2 hours during the daytime.
For more parking information visit Eastleigh Borough Council's website
Public transport
Nearest train station: Eastleigh (0.4 miles)
Nearest bus stop: Eastleigh Bus Station (0.2 miles) & for a small number of services, Archers Road stop (0.1 miles) – for information on bus services and times visit My Journey Hampshire.