We've had a fantastic 6 months meeting groups across Guildford and Woking to find out how they'd like to take action for nature within their local areas. We've pulled together just a few of our project highlights to celebrate some of the wonderful people we've had the pleasure of working with!

The Hive Youth Café

We visited a Youth Café drop-in at The Hive Community Centre in Guildford. We spoke to young people about their connection with nature, the green spaces they have access to, and how much time they spend outdoors.

The Hive play-garden is equipped with a long, overgrown planter which is currently sectioned off from the public. Surrey Wildlife Trust are working with The Hive Community Wellbeing Team and community volunteers to turn the space into a sensory wildlife garden.

Shifa Network: Natural Crafts

We met with a group of 15 ladies who regularly attend the Shifa English Speakers of Other Languages class. Shifa is a charity which aims to empower South Asian women to promote wellbeing.

We guided the group through an activity, creating winter candles using natural materials like holly leaves, pinecones, twigs, acorns and oak leaves.

We’re looking forward to working with the group to rejuvenate their courtyard, creating a space which will benefit both community members and wildlife!

Following the winter candle making activity, we discussed how the group could create a wildlife-friendly courtyard for all to enjoy.

We're looking forward to working with the women of Shifa in 2023!

University of Surrey Market Day

Surrey Wildlife Trust went to the University of Surrey Students' Union Market Day to speak to students about their feelings surrounding nature in the local area, and their understanding of current environmental issues.

We met many students throughout the day who spoke passionately about environmental issues and expressed an interest in doing more for nature - we even interviewed some students to capture their thoughts!

It’s been a fantastic first 6 months for Nextdoor Nature and we can’t wait to see what lies ahead! In fact, we have too many highlights for just one blog, so here's part two!

P.S. Visit our Nextdoor Nature Storymap to keep up to date with the latest project updates.