RURAL VOICES with NICK PATEL
Saturday 6th February 2026, 9am
REWILDING THE FUTURE: What Local Wildlife Can Teach Us About a Resilient Countryside
As winter loosens its grip and the first signs of spring begin to stir, our fields, hedgerows and woodlands quietly prepare for a season of renewal. It’s a perfect moment to ask: what might the future of our rural landscapes look like if we gave nature the space it needs to thrive?
In this February edition of Rural Voices, lifelong birdwatcher and former nature reserve warden Nick Patel invites us to explore the extraordinary biodiversity on our doorstep and what it can tell us about building a healthier countryside for generations to come.
Nick has spent his life championing British wildlife, sharing the wonder of everything from overwintering birds to the first emerging insects and wildflowers of spring. Drawing on decades of field experience, he’ll offer an inspiring look at how these seasonal signals reveal both the fragility and incredible resilience of our ecosystems.
He will also introduce the pioneering work of Heal Rewilding, the 460-acre site where he now works, dedicated to restoring nature by allowing land to recover at its own pace. From scrub formation to the return of key species, Nick will show how rewilding can transform landscapes and what lessons such projects hold for the future of rural communities like ours.
How might we support wildlife on the land we live and work on? What could our countryside sound like, look like, and feel like if we embraced more nature-led approaches? And how can we read the early signs of spring - breeding birds, emerging insects, the first blooms - as clues to the health of our wider environment?
Join Nick for a hopeful, grounded and fascinating journey into the wild future that could be possible if we choose to care for the life around us.
Please arrive promptly at 9am for breakfast, the talk will begin at 9.45am.
BOOK NOW! Tickets are £15 or £12.50 for Horningsham residents- All profits go to the Village Hall Regeneration Fund.
If you need any help with booking please contact events@horningshamvillagehall.com