Spotlight On: Rebecca from Wiltshire Wildlife Trust

Tell us a bit about yourself and your role

Hi there I’m Rebecca and I am the Communications and Marketing Manager for Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. We have two marketing manager roles: one for digital and mine, which focuses on press and PR, campaigns, filming, and publications like our magazines. There's probably more I'm forgetting, but basically, I try to make sure the Trust's amazing work for nature gets seen by people in Wiltshire and beyond.

What do you like best about your role?

I get to write more for the public than in previous roles, and it's fantastic to see the finished product in print. I also really enjoy arranging filming and press visits as its feels like a game of Tetris trying to slot everything together so it all lines up. I also learn a ton every day about nature, wildlife, and conservation, making it a truly interesting role. The Trust does so much people might not know about, from green finance to running care farms.

(c) Ellie Dodson

Where are your favourite places to visit in Wiltshire and why?

Lower Moor Nature Reserve: Absolutely love walking around here, especially in summer. Stunning vistas with paths twisting and turning around the lake, offering incredible glimpses from different angles. The Dragonfly Café (opened in 2020) has fabulous coffee, cake, and a great place to chill by the lake. The staff are lovely too!

Bowood: My absolute happy place in Wiltshire! We live nearby and get a yearly membership, making it easy to pop in and walk around the lake. It has, I think, the BEST playpark in the South West, with slides for daredevils (like my little one!), jumping pillows, and balancing elements for all ages. The woodland gardens, especially during the Rhodedendron flowering season, are spectacular! A riot of colour and scent that feels like another world.

Do you have any hidden Wiltshire gems that you’d like to share with our readers?

Ravensroost Wood Nature Reserve:  These quiet and peaceful woodlands are perfect for forest bathing. I've even been known to take my shoes off for a short stroll and enjoy the feel of the earth beneath my feet. Woodlands are some of the places I feel most connected to nature. Having worked in rural areas before, I have a real appreciation for our forests and trees. They're easy to explore with well-developed paths, so you don't have to worry about getting lost.

Wiltshire's Pick-Your-Own Farms: Second to none! We have so many with such variety. Lotmead, just outside Swindon, is a favourite for me and my daughter. We love fresh raspberries and blackcurrants, and you'll often find us amongst the plants. They also have a fantastic playpark and a brilliant farm shop. Pick-your-own flowers are a must for me too, and Whitemead does a great job with wildflower and dahlia picking, which usually starts in early August.

(c) National Trust Petra Mirosevic-Sorgo

Where’s your favourite Wiltshire picnic spot?

Stourhead: My go-to picnic spot! I always cheat and "raid" the National Trust café for scones, cheese, cream, jam, and then move down to the lake for a picture-perfect picnic. It has to be one of the most beautiful places in the UK.

Langford Lakes: If you want wildlife with your lunch, this spot in the picturesque village of Langford (located on aptly named Duck Lane) offers a mosaic of beautiful lakes that provide habitats for an array of birds. You'll see the usual suspects like ducks, swans, and geese, but also rarer birds like lapwings and sand martins.

Where are your favourite places to eat out in Wiltshire and why?

A fabulous spot just outside Chippenham and a firm favourite of mine is The Langley Tap, a beautiful little pub with really good food. It has that cosy cottage vibe and of an evening when the lights are dimmed, and the candles are lit can be really intimate and romantic. A perfect date night spot.

I love spicy food and one of the best curries I’ve had was from Naga’s in Warminster. We popped in one night when we were staying in Centre Parcs (yes I really do holiday in my own county) and the food was so good.

For tea lovers you cannot beat Tea Inc in Devizes, they do a range of cheese scones from stilton and walnut to cheese and chive and they are big and fluffy and delicious. They also true to their name do a great range of teas. I highly recommend their spicy chairs such as their Thai Chai and their Indian Masala Chai. Situated just off the market plan in a little cottage tucked away – you really feel like you’ve discovered somewhere just for you.