Hannah Phillips is bringing wildlife to the heart of the community

For the past three years, Lloyds International has partnered with the Manx Wildlife Trust (MWT) to create meaningful, lasting change across the Isle of Man.

Their long-standing partnership is rooted in a shared vision: to bring people and nature closer together. That vision is being brought to life, one wildflower, one fruit tree, and one community project at a time.

At the heart of this partnership is Hannah Phillips, the Isle of Man’s Community Ranger. Her role, fully funded by Lloyds International, didn’t exist until three years ago. Now, Hannah is leading a quiet revolution in how conservation and communities connect.

‘My job didn’t exist before the donation support from Lloyds. So, I’m very grateful,’ Hannah says. ‘But besides that, we work together on loads of different projects - Lloyds colleagues volunteer at our nature reserves from planting trees to removing invasive plant species, and cutting down hay. Lloyds International supported us with a low-interest sustainable loan, which has allowed us to purchase land at Crossage Fields to plant trees, marking the island’s first carbon offsetting initiative aimed at preserving the biosphere.’

Hannah’s role brings a practical, community-first approach to supporting our wildlife, reflecting Lloyds International’s commitment to supporting more sustainable and inclusive communities. The partnership stands as a clear example of how businesses can play an active role in building a more sustainable future.

‘It’s quite a new approach. Traditionally with conservation, you’d buy land, put a fence up, then try and protect it,’ Hannah explains. ‘But now, knowing the crisis we’re facing we’re having to adapt our approach. So, my role is about getting more wildlife into local spaces and as many people as possible engaged and involved. Helping boost community projects is a massive part of that.’

A big part of Hannah’s role, made possible by Lloyds International’s support, is working outside of Manx Wildlife Trust sites. Instead of waiting for people to come to them, she goes out into the community, helping schools, churches, and local councils to lead their own green transformations. It’s a more progressive, hands-on way of doing conservation that meets people where they are.

‘There’s a group in St John’s who manage a community garden, and I offer them support by helping with grant applications and risk assessments and that sort of thing,’ she says. ‘I also work a lot with churches who are trying to make their churchyards more wildlife friendly. Again, that support can be a range of things, like helping them promote events or providing ecological advice. Though the help constantly differs, it all comes under the term “Team Wilder”, which is our name for community engagement and community-led projects.’

At its heart, the role is all about connection, helping people connect with nature, with each other, and with the idea that small changes can add up to something bigger. It’s not just about supporting wildlife, it’s about supporting people too. Hannah and the MWT team believe everyone should have access to green spaces, because the benefits, for wellbeing, community, and the environment, are huge.

‘There have been so many studies that show living near green areas is really good for your physical and mental wellbeing in the long term,’ Hannah notes. ‘Managing green areas also gives people a sense of ownership over those spaces, which improves community relationships as well.’

The approach mirrors MWT’s wider mission: to protect and enhance the Isle of Man’s rich wildlife, while creating more opportunities for people to experience it firsthand. And the need for collective action across communities, businesses, and charities is needed more now than ever.

‘When it comes to environmental issues, we’re facing such a massive problem, that we need as many people on board to help as possible. It shouldn’t solely be up to environmental charities to fix the problems we have. It’s down to all of us.

‘Previously, it might have been an “us and them” sort of dynamic, but that’s not how we’re going to get solutions. We all need to be working together; that’s the only way that we’re really going to solve the problems.’

This spirit of collaboration is exactly what Lloyds International is championing, not just through funding, but through active involvement in the Isle of Man community. And if you’re inspired to play a part, Hannah would love to hear from you. Whether it’s a garden, a schoolyard, or a forgotten patch of land, no space is too small to start making a difference.

‘There are so many ways to get involved. If you are looking to help wildlife in your own garden, brilliant. We have so many resources on our website to offer advice on making your garden more wildlife-friendly.

‘On a more community project basis, I work with locals who have just created a community orchard in Douglas. Someone reached out to me because he had land in Douglas and didn’t know what to do with it. Then separately, someone else got in touch with me and said, “I’ve got a dream to start a community orchard, but I don’t know where to put it.” That was great, because I could matchmake them, and now they’ve planted 30 fruit trees.

‘I hope that provides some inspiration for islanders on how they can help, if you have any ideas for a small recreational green area or just anything where you think “that could be more wild, or that could be greener”, then get in touch, because we would love to support you with it.’

Search Manx Wildlife Trust to find out more.