THE Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) is this week joining the celebrations after a farming family raised £2 million for it and the other UK Wildlife Trusts – all by selling birdseed.

The wildlife-friendly Watts family at Vine House Farm in Lincolnshire raised the money over the past 14 years by donating some of the profits they make from selling the birdseed they grow.

BBOWT has received a whopping £130,000 from the partnership over that period, which has been a huge help in funding its conservation work - and the trust even uses the birdseed at its own nature reserves.

Estelle Bailey, Chief Executive of BBOWT, said:

“I’ve had a life-long love of birds, which is one reason I’m so proud of our partnership with Vine House Farm. Watching and feeding garden birds can introduce people to a love of wildlife on their doorstep.

“Knowing that our partnership helps BBOWT to do even more for our local wildlife, while helping our supporters look after their garden birds, is so important to me. Add the fact that the Watts family are very wildlife-friendly farmers, and this partnership is a triple-win for wildlife.”

Vine House farmer Nicholas Watts and his daughter Lucy Taylor make their birdseed mixture from sunflowers and other birdseed crops they grow over 400 acres of their farm.

However, over the past 30 years they have also created hedges, ponds and wildlife margins at field edges to support wildlife.

The farm is now a haven for flocks of wild birds including rare and declining tree sparrows, red-listed linnets and lapwing, and Mr Watts has won awards for conservation.

Lucy Taylor, manager at Vine House Farm, said:

“Our partnership with The Wildlife Trusts has long been very important to us. Along with the practical measures we take on the farm to, for example, reverse the trend of declining songbird numbers, a percentage of each purchase of Vine House Farm bird seed goes to support Wildlife Trusts, enabling a greater conservation impact across the country.

“The Wildlife Trusts has always been the obvious choice for us to champion, and it’s been a proud time for me, my father and all our family to be able to reach the two million pound milestone. Now we look forward to the future and being able to eventually reach five million and more.”

The Wildlife Trusts across the UK promote Vine House Farm birdseed as a great way to help local wildlife. In exchange, the farm gives a percentage of its profits in each area to the wildlife trust for that region.

In the last year alone, BBOWT received £17,614 from the partnership ­- more than any other Wildlife Trust in the UK – and these funds have helped fund its work to create more nature everywhere.

The trust also uses Vine House Farm mixture in birdfeeders at its sites, such as Chimney Meadows nature reserve in West Oxfordshire and College Lake in Buckinghamshire.

Craig Bennett, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts said:

“Through their own love of wildlife, and working for nature, Nicholas Watts and his family have enabled many other people to experience the joy of nature in their homes and gardens and in doing so to provide fantastic support to the work of Wildlife Trusts.

“Vine House Farm’s magnificent long-term support for The Wildlife Trusts means we’ve been able to restore wildflower meadows, and wetlands, and enable more people to feel the health and wellbeing benefits of connecting with nature. Customers of Vine House Farm who are feeding their garden birds are playing an important part too, helping wildlife thrive to support nature’s recovery.

“We are extremely grateful to Nicholas and his family for their support and look forward to working with them for many years to come.”

Shop for Vine House Farm birdseed here.