Kingsbridge Nature Festival from June 15-18 will be focused on connecting us to the natural world, championing our local wildlife and inspiring action to protect it.

It has been organised by Rosa Hannaford and her team who hope it will become an annual event.

Some of the activities include: a 24 hour bioblitz — a race to identify and record as many species in our local area as people can, a wildlife gardening event to showcase some amazing local examples of how residents have created habitat and food for wildlife within their gardens, wellbeing activities that connect people to nature, craft activities and art exhibitions, wild talks, interesting workshops and inspiring film screenings and much more.

The festival will take place at various locations across the town, both inside community venues and outside in green spaces.

The team are working with a range of organisations, experts and local projects to help make this a rich, varied and exciting event.

Some of the collaborators include Till the Coast is Clear, Seadream Education and Devon Wildlife Trust — Wilder Communities Team.

Kingsbridge Town Council and Devon County Councillor Julian Brazil have pledged funding for the festival.

‘We aim to make the Nature Festival as inclusive and accessible as possible and are thankful for the help of our local learning disability charity, Activities 115, who have offered to support us to do this,’ said Rosa.

‘Nature is for all to enjoy and we aim to make sure the festival offers opportunities for everyone in our community to get involved.

‘There are so many ways that we can connect with and take action for nature right on our doorstep. ‘

Whether it’s creating wild patches and habitat within our own gardens, volunteering to plant trees, becoming a citizen scientist to monitor our local wildlife, or tapping in to our natural creativity – they hope that they can offer something for everyone.

Community Artist Shelley Castle says:

“Kingsbridge is surrounded by apparently pristine nature, but most of us are probably aware of the issues the natural world is facing.  And we all, every single one of us, have an interest in what is at stake as well as the chance to make a difference. 

“A festival of nature should surely be for everyone — all ages, all backgrounds, all experiences and abilities — a diverse forest is much more robust, a diverse human community is too. 

“We hope that everyone will get involved, from helping to plan the festival to making a small bunting flag to learning more about the water in our estuary or joining one of the amazing community groups we have here. 

“Over the coming months please keep an eye out for the different invitations to join in.  Nature needs us, and we need nature!”

The Nature Festival is part of the national Great Big Green Week which runs from June 10-18. For more information visit: https://www.kingsbridgeclimateaction.co.uk/