About the event

Wander over to our mini nature reserve for a hedgehog extravaganza. We’ll be exploring what our prickly wanderers eat, where they live and how you can help them at home. Make your own hedgehog crown, navigate highways and mazes just like hedgehogs do and design a placard to use in our mini march on the day. 

You can also join us at our Nature Action event tent, where we have a range of talks on how to help wildlife in Suffolk thrive.

Please note that all talks are around 15 minutes long.

Wednesday 27th May

10:30 - Campaigning for kids

What is campaigning and how to advocate for the wild things that matter to you. Led by Wilder Communities Officer and School Lead, Sophie Mayes Masson. Aimed at under-16s.

11:00 & 15:00 - Hedgehog March

Create your own placard and help us raise awareness of one of Suffolk's favourite species.

11:30 & 15:30 - Getting political for nature 

Find out about our work to get politicians to stand up for nature, whether that’s here in Suffolk or in the corridors of Westminster. Led by Head of Planning and Advocacy, Rupert Masefield.

12:15 & 14:30 -  Farmers for nature 

Join Senior Farm Adviser Helen Bynum in conversation with Guy Weller-Pooley of the Boxted Estate and member of the Wool Towns Farm Cluster. Topics include pond restoration, wetland enhancement, woodland management and deer management.

13:45 - Nature activism 101 

 An introduction to campaigning and nature activism for all. Led by Campaigning & Activism Manager, Gemma Cosson.
 

Thursday 28th

9:45 - Campaigning for kids 

What is campaigning and how to advocate for the wild things that matter to you. Led by Wilder Communities Officer and School Lead, Sophie Mayes Masson. Aimed at under-16s.

10:30 & 14:30 - High fliers: helping swifts, house martins and swallows 

A brief talk about the plight of swifts and how people can directly help the conservation of swifts, swallows and house martins. Led by Suffolk Wildlife Trust volunteer, Simon Hooton.

11:00 & 15:00 - Hedgehog March

Create your own placard and help us raise awareness of one of Suffolk's favourite species.

11:30 & 16:15 - Getting political for nature

Find out about our work to get politicians to stand up for nature, whether that’s here in Suffolk or in the corridors of Westminster. Led by Head of Planning and Advocacy, Rupert Masefield.

12:15 & 15:30 - Stepping stones for nature: private nature reserves

How to create your own nature reserve and join a growing network. Led by Suffolk Wildlife Trust volunteer, Simon Hooton.

13:45pm - Nature activism 101

 An introduction to campaigning and nature activism for all. Led by Campaigning & Activism Manager, Gemma Cosson.
 

Please buy your tickets via the official Suffolk Show website in advance, or you can buy your ticket at the gate on the day.

Suffolk Show FAQs

Suffolk Wildlife Trust Bird Sculpture Exclusive Collection

Inspired by Melissa Harrison’s book, “All among the barley”, Framlingham artist Spadge Hopkins has created a series of limited-edition steel bird sculptures for Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Spadge will be using his unique style to incorporate silhouettes and shadows into his ideas to enhance the detail of some of the Suffolk birds that feature in Melissa’s book.

Having counted 22 separate species of birds mentioned in the book he was inspired to create the series to raise funds for Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s work to bring nature back to Suffolk and help these species thrive in the future. Some are now very rare and others are referred to by some intriguing local names. 

It is hoped that the series will be ready for June 2026 and will be on show at two galleries over the summer and then at the Trust’s Festival of Nature in the Autumn. 

The collection will include

• Nightingale (Barley Bird)  
• Swift,
• Lapwing (Peewit, Tuit, Tewit,Pyewipe)
• Nightjar (Goatsucker, Nightchur, Dorhawk)
• Yellow hammer (Scribbly Jack, Yellow Bunting)
• Fieldfare (Thrush)
• Corncrake (Landrail)
• Long-tailed Tit (Bum Barrel)
• Chiff Chaff
• Throstle (SongThrush)
• Partridge

They can be seen and ordered from the Suffolk Show, where Spadge will have a stall in our Nature Area. You can also order at the following exhibitions:

Orford Quay – 15^th to 21^st June.

Snape Maltings, Quay Gallery – 30^th July to 5^th August

Festival of Nature launch at Seckford Theatre, Sunday 20^th September.

The sculptures will also be available to order via the Trust’s website www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org with £50 from each purchase going towards their Mission 2030 campaign to bring nature back to Suffolk.