City Girl In Nature

City Girl is Nature is Kwesia, who grew up in Deptford, an inner city area of South-East London  Along with many of her friends, neighbours and peers, she experienced a great deal of the challenges that come with living in an area, and with people, who have often been neglected, excluded and marginalised.  After a 3 week experience in the Peruvian rainforest with British Exploring Society she was inspired to start City Girl in Nature as a way to give back to her community. To share her love and passion for the outdoors, and belief that everybody should have the chance to be healed, to be nourished, and to live with abundance.

Kwesia has been working with groups of young people, Global Generations and Story Garden in London to deliver some activity ideas which are simple to make in any backyard!

Southwark Travellers Action Group

Southwark Travellers Action Group (STAG) are a community organisation for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers based in Southwark.

STAG supports the local Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community to overcome barriers to accessing services through one-to-one and group support. STAG also works to overcome the inequalities and disadvantages faced by these communities by running projects targeted at addressing issues with employment, education, health and housing. They run a women’s group and a youth group, as well as events and training to raise awareness of, and celebrate Gypsy, Roma and Traveller culture and history.

They have been busy on the JEDI Programme with helping nature in many different ways. Here is a video of them building a birdbath with materials from their patch!

If you want to have a go at making your own you can find the activity Here

Tice's Meadow Bird Group

Tice’s Meadow Bird Group are an active group in Tice’s Meadow, a newly developed nature reserve on the site of the former Farnham Quarry on the southern outskirts of Aldershot.  The site is widely considered one of the best inland sites to watch birds in the southeast of England.

The group has been working with Parkside, a charity that provide services for disabled children and adults to create some inspiring resources on keeping birds housed and fed throughout the year.  Watch out for more from them soon as they make their way into some ponds….

The Friends of Westcombe Woodlands

The Friends of Westcombe Woodlands Urban community managed Woodland. Managing 4 acre wood for wildlife and community access schools programme.

Creating opportunities for local primary schoolchildren to connect with nature, to plant and grow trees from seed. From 2018-20 over 300 children have collected acorns and other native tree seeds and planted them, along with return visit to “mind and mulch” their saplings . As a result we now have 4 year old trees in the woodland tree nursery waiting to be planted out by schools in the community.

Mafia Weekend AKA Make a Film in a Weekend

Mafia Weekend AKA Make a Film in a Weekend is a short course for creative growth. They use the medium of film-making to bring people together to establish personal connections. The course shares the essentials of movie-making: participants learn how to write, light, act and direct a film in 2 days.

They have seen how the unique atmosphere of devising a visual story with strangers can be transformative. Autobiographical writing workshops, meditation, breathwork, light touch – exercise, two hot healthy meals for lunch, and lots of contact time with professional filmmakers are just some of the ‘ingredients’ that make this course unique.