Keith Grimwade is the chair of the Friends of Holt Island

The animals and plants of Holt Island Nature Reserve manage the bleak mid-winter in different ways.

Some lie low, waiting for the earth to warm up. Others opt for ‘duvet days’ and hibernate. Some work hard, hoping that there are berries left on the trees to see them through. And others, like the badgers, are on alert to leave the Island if it floods.

But the winter solstice is the turning point of the year. Hope rises as the days become longer. Spring will come. The bird boxes will soon be busy again.

The winter work of the volunteers, cutting reeds, harvesting willow and replacing the boardwalk will have made the Island a great place for wildlife - and people.

We need nature more than nature needs us. As David Attenborough says, ‘It seems to me that the natural world is… the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living’.

We wish our volunteers, supporters and visitors all the best for Christmas and the new year.

Have hope in nature. If we care for the natural world we will reap the reward many times over. We look forward to seeing you in 2026. Check https://www.holtisland.org for opening times.