Supported by wildlife enthusiasts
Looking after the reserve, Little Meadow and Tara’s Piece is a privilege, which requires a significant amount of people-power and financial resources. We are immensely grateful to the generosity of the public, the Friends of Withymead and our grant funders – big and small – who support us. Your commitment past, present and future support means a great deal to us.
What visitors see today is only possible because of their friendship, advice, time, funding, humour, resilience, and good humour. What we all share is a deep and profound connection with this special place by the Thames.
Please take time to read about our most recent projects and and funding partners.
Please also enjoy the work of the local photographers, whose images tell the story of Withymead so vividly.
Support Withymead
'Improvements to Access' project
Our most significant project in 2024\2025, was to replace a major section of our boardwalk, install a welcome shelter, create a new website, and improve our visitor entrance so that people could better access parts of the reserve that were previously off limits, and so that we could encourage new visitors and groups to the reserve. You can read more about the project here. This project has been supported by the Mend the Gap programme and Defra’s Access for All project. The vision of the Mend the Gap programme is that the outstanding landscape that links the Chilterns and the North Wessex Downs will be enhanced and enriched for wildlife, residents and visitors, helping to heal and soften the scars left by electrification of the Great Western main line.
Withymead Nature Reserve is situated in the Goring Gap, in what is known as a National Landscape – previously called an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The features and qualities of this outstanding landscape are considered so important, that they are protected by law for the nation. Here the North Wessex Downs and Chilterns AONB meet. This is a visibly ancient landscape of great beauty, diversity, and size. It embraces the high, open arable sweeps of the chalk downs and dramatic scarp slopes with their prehistoric monuments and beech knolls, the moulded dip slopes, sheltered chalk river valleys, intimate, and secluded wooded areas and low-lying heaths with a rich mosaic of woodland, pasture, heath, and commons. Leading down to the mighty River Thames.
Thank you to our partners for their continued support
Mend the Gap
The Mend the Gap programme enabled us to make significant access improvements on the reserve in 2024\2025. In 2026 they are also supporting a nature recovery project. Thank you, Mend the Gap!
Chilterns National Landscape
The public body established to conserve and enhance the Chilterns National Landscape. A grant from their Farming in Protected Landscapes towards practical equipment has made a considerable impact on our ability to manage the reserve. Their support through the Mend the Gap programme, with funding and advice for our ‘Improvements to Access’ project has also been invaluable. Thank you, Chilterns National Landscape!
North Wessex Downs National Landscape
The public body established to conserve and enhance the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. Their support through the Mend the Gap programme, with funding and advice for our ‘Improvements to Access’ project has been invaluable. Thank you, North Wessex Downs National Landscape!
BBOWT
The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust is our local wildlife trust.
Christ Church, Oxford
One of our adjacent landowners. We collaborate when we need to work on our shared boundary, and we send them an annual report.
Dorothy Holmes Trust
We are fortunate to receive funding towards projects of our choosing. In 2024 we directed their support to this new website!
Elegant Homes
After our successful relocation of reptiles from one of their nearby building sites, we received a generous donation.
Elvendon Images
Local photographer Bernard Novell is also known as Elvendon Images. Several of his images appear here. We are immensely grateful for his support. Do enjoy his work on his own website. Thank you Bernard!
Environment Agency
An executive non-departmental public body established in 1996 to protect and improve the environment.
Gatehampton Trust
How do you find Little Meadow? This local trust’s support helped us provide the signs at both ends to tell you when you arrive, and for this new website!
Goring Gap Local History Society
Our local historians with tremendous knowledge of our area. Our boatbuilding history words and images at Withymead and on the website were forensically researched and written by members Janet and Mike Hurst.
Goring Gap News
Our free local monthly publication reporting on village events, people, business, arts and sport. Surplus from paid advertising is given in grants and awards. Essential tree surgery so we can open safely, this website and signage is due to their support.
Goring-on-Thames in Bloom
The multiple award-winning group of volunteers who help make the village a beautiful place to visit. They enter the ‘Britain in Bloom with the RHS’ competition for small towns most years, and always bring the judges to visit on judging day. This ticks their box for ‘Wildlife & Conservation’. In 2022 Withymead won the regional award for Wildlife and Conservation.
Goring Parish Council
Our local parish council.
Grundon
The local waste and recycling business. Their grant through the Landfill Communities Fund administered by TOE, and with other joint partners enabled us to re-engineer the Thames Path at Little Meadow in summer 2023.
Hi-Clarity Communications
Our interpretation was made significantly clearer with the assistance of Ivor Coleman, who wrote our visitor leaflet, and worked with us on our brand, signage and interpretation strategy. Thank you, Ivor!
Lucy Woodward Trust
The map and pamphlet you hold when visiting, signage, our all-terrain wheelchair, tree surgery and this website are due to the generous support from this local trust.
Wallingford Green Gym
Part of the movement that connects people and green spaces, this voluntary group has regularly helped with conservation and habitat management at Withymead and Little Meadow, especially when large scale tasks are required.
Our photography
A picture paints a thousand words and the photography of Peter Brass, David Brown, Simon Booker, David Flory, Barbara Hately, Pete Morton, Bernard Novell, Steve Rock, and Adrian Cubitt have helped tell our story on this website. Their many hours spent on the reserve looking up, down, close and far and their willingness to share their work in support of Withymead is hugely appreciated. You can see more of their wonderful photography in our gallery, and where they have their own website in partners above. If you are a photographer or photography group and would like to visit, you can book a private Friday visit or get in touch.
View our gallery
Thank you
The words here, in print and in situ are expertly written and edited by Peter Brass, Ivor Coleman, Jenny Hedge, Janet Hurst, Mike Hurst, Rebecca Joisce, Pete Morton, Imogen Smart, and Paul Solomon. Our history is researched and written by Peter Brass, Janet Hurst and Mike Hurst. Our gorgeously illustrated maps are by David Goodman. Tony Hedge has expertly maintained our previous website and assisted with our new. Our new website was beautifully crafted by Unstuck Design.
We are grateful to all past and current trustees and wardens for steering us sustainably and carefully, keeping and upholding Anne Carpmael’s vision. We would also like to thank John Walters. John has a long association with Withymead and Anne Carpmael. He knows the reserve and the properties better than anyone. He offers the trust very helpful advice when we ask and practical help when we need it. We simply couldn’t do it without him.
The Friends of Withymead offer essential assistance which helps with the planning and implementation of current and future projects: thank you. There are several individual donors who wish to remain anonymous: your support is invaluable. We are grateful to all past and current volunteers for your willingness to get stuck in on the reserve: thank you. Some significant people give a tremendous amount of their time and also wish to remain anonymous: thank you.
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