Dec-2019
Highlights of 2019
Wildlife Wonder Highlights of 2019 and plans for 2020.
My busiest year by far, there have been so many special Wildlife Wonder moments in 2019, involving thousands of people. Just a few photo highlights of 2019 and plans for 2020.
Working in partnership with other organisations through 2019, Wildlife Wonder has led community nature days across the country for Greenwich Ecology Park, Ferne Animal Sanctuary, Froglife’s TOAD Roadshow, Help For Heroes, London National Park City, Back From The Brink, WildScreen and a full year’s programme of events for Unlocking The Severn. Excitingly many of these projects continue in 2020
And I’ve enjoyed leading 45+ nature photography courses for adults & children with WWT (London & Slimbridge) , Walthamstow Wetlands Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trusts, PTES, Nikon and other corporate clients.
Every winter I organise Animal Aid’s Christmas Festivals in Exeter & London – a gathering of animal charities/organisations and ethical companies. Brigit Strawbridge-Howard spoke at Exeter and Chris Packham joined us at the London Festival to talk about his campaign work, meet with the many animal groups (and over lunch chatted to my art-student daughter about design!)
But as always the prime focus of Wildlife Wonder is working with schools – in 2019 involving 10,000 children exploring, photographing and learning about the nature on their doorsteps.
- January & February – Working with Dorset schools for The Lost Words Project.
- March, April & May – Exploring Bristol with school children for Bristol Museum’s Nature Selection exhibition. Teacher STEM training in Hertfordshire
- June, July & November – Young Arts funded projects with clusters of schools in Romsey & the New Forest. In Winchester working with schools for children with special needs
- Sept & October Young Arts funded projects with group of schools in Wiltshire
- And many individual projects with schools in Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Bristol, Worcestershire. Plus Murmurations of Wonder in Bristol, Wiltshire & Hampshire
For 2020 and beyond? Learning about nature and our environment has never been more important, but schools have shrinking budgets and space in the crowded curriculum. I’m seriously concerned for the future of nature learning in schools. Thankfully I’ve developed fantastic relationships with schools over the past ten years and in 2020 I am working with a few schools to develop a year-long nature strand through the curriculum. This plan can then be used as template by other schools and one from which we can build a nature-rich curriculum for all. Please take a look at our Nature-Rich Curriculum Crowdfunding campaign – I would be truly grateful for any help you can give.
And to ensure Wildlife Wonder can continue to work with schools, we will evolve too – the future for Wildlife Wonder may be as an educational charity, CIC or similar!
I’m really looking forward to a wonderful 2020.
