North of England Bat Conference

North of England Bat Conference

North of England Conference delegates

"This regional conference was the best conference I have ever attended. The talks were genuinely very interesting and useful for members of both bat groups and consultants. The workshops were thought provoking. The atmosphere amongst attendees was supportive. The organisation by BCT was excellent." Conference delegate 2023

This one-day event is an opportunity for anyone interested in bats, from hobbyists and volunteers to professional bat workers, to spend time together updating their knowledge, sharing best practice, developing their skills and catching up on the latest 'bat chat'. The day includes a mixture of short and long talks on projects and new knowledge, and a choice of practical workshops. There will also be time for catching up with batty friends or making some new batty acquaintances.

Whilst the conference is open to anybody from any region, you may be able to meet people from the bat groups in the North of England or the Isle of Man. The area covered includes: County Durham, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cumbria, Northumberland, Yorkshire and the Isle of Man.


The next North of England Regional Conference will be in March 2026.

North of England Bat Conference

Sponsors: Wildlife Acoustics

The previous conference was held on 15 April 2023 in York, and on zoom.

Programme included:

  • BCT Update - Kit Stoner, BCT.
  • Ringing database and guidelines update - Lisa Worledge, BCT.
  • The Impacts of Cheshire Beaver Habitat Modification on Bats - Rachel Blount, University of Liverpool.
  • Rockley Tunnel – Drawing in Bat Enthusiasts Since 1905 - Robert Bell, South Yorkshire Bat Group.
  • Hibernation, swarming and more - Dave Anderson, Yorkshire Dales Bat Project.
  • Mass pipistrelle hibernation sites - Tina Wiffen.
  • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) spotlight - Naomi Webster, BCT.
  • The effect of climate change on a population of soprano pipistrelles - Maggie Andrews, Merseyside & West Lancs Bat Group.
  • How bats use churches: findings from our citizen science research - Claire Boothby, BCT.

As well as 2 workshop sessions and a Bat Carer's Meet-up during lunch.

In-person tickets for members of BCT or a partner bat group were £45, non-members are £50.
Virtual tickets for members of BCT or a partner bat group were £25, non-members are £30.

Next: Midlands Bat Conference