Such support can be done via the wildlife charity’s membership packages, online shops, owl and hedgehog adoption packages, even running in this year’s Great North Run.

For people who don’t want to spend a fortune, there are many easy and affordable ways for people to look after wildlife in their own areas as wildlife conservation in gardens is becoming increasingly important as more species are becoming endangered. 

During the colder months, an outdoor space such as a garden or back yard can be a safe haven for birds, insects and hedgehogs.

Bowls of everyday items found in kitchen cupboards such as suet, peanuts, seeds, apples and dried fruit, plus bowls of fresh water, will really help many birds and small mammals survive the winter. 

Setting up birdfeeders, nest boxes, ladybird lodges and feeding hedgehogs will attract wildlife and are superb ways of getting children interested.

One of the best ways to offer shelter is to create habitats in the sunniest, most sheltered spot. A stack of bricks and pots will provide a home for toads, newts while sticks and logs are great for hedgehogs and insects. 

Bees in particular love wood with lots of little hidey-holes, left in a sunny place and wood is a valuable part of the ecosystem, and if you leave it, it could become home to beetles, centipedes, spiders and fungi.

Another tip to help wildlife through colder months is to leave gardens undisturbed until the spring. Uncut grass is a perfect for frogs and mice, and leaves piled up are full of nutrients and great for hedgehogs, worms, mini-beasts, frogs and toads. Old flower stems in flowerbeds and pots provide much needed food. 

The Trust also urges people to go easy with the clippers and not cut back hedges when they are producing berries, as they are a valuable food source for birds and mammals when there is nothing else around for them to eat. 

Likewise, ivy is important for bees and butterflies as it flowers in the autumn and becomes a valuable source of nectar before they go into hibernation. It also offers a safe hideaway for small mammals.

Even the corners of a dusty shed may have butterflies overwintering in them, or a wall may be harbouring bees or ladybirds.

Geoff Dobbins, Estates Manager at Northumberland Wildlife Trust says:

“Gardens are a vital source of shelter and food for wildlife, especially in winter months when many species need warm, dry spaces to bed down in.

“When you are out in your garden, please bear in mind how holding back on some projects until spring can really make a difference and, you never know, you may be rewarded with visits from some wonderful species.”