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30 Days Wild – UK’s most creative nature challenge celebrates tenth anniversary in June

Millions of participants benefit from countless acts of wildness over past decade

This year marks a milestone for The Wildlife Trusts’ flagship annual 30 Days Wild as it celebrates its 10th anniversary in June. The nature challenge has grown from 12,000 participants in its first year to over half a million last year alone. 30 Days Wild has helped people to get outside, enjoy and connect with nature as part of their every-day lives.

This June promises to be a bumper 30 Days Wild – people of all ages and abilities are urged to participate and The Wildlife Trusts are offering free herb seeds and inspirational guide to everyone who signs-up to do a small, wild thing every day during June.

Iolo Williams smiling at the camera. Hills in the background.

Iolo Williams, wildlife presenter and  Vice President, The Wildlife Trusts, says:

“Embrace the outdoors with The Wildlife Trusts' 30 Days Wild challenge! Imagine a month dedicated to exploring the wonders of nature, from the majestic red kites soaring above to the humble bees buzzing in our gardens. Let's make every day an adventure, be it birdwatching with a slice of bara brith in hand or planting wildflowers to support our native wildlife. This June, step outside, breathe in the fresh air, and go WILD!”

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, 30 Days Wild encourages individuals, families, schools, and businesses to connect with nature on a daily basis during what many argue is the best month for wildlife spotting. It could be going on a snail safari, eating your breakfast outdoors or closing your eyes to listen for bird song, to more adventurous endeavours such as outdoor yoga or forest bathing. This year's participants will receive a special 10th anniversary pack, designed to make their 30 days even more fun.

Research has consistently highlighted the positive impact of nature on well-being. A study found a significant increase in people's health, happiness, and connection to nature through participating in 30 Days Wild. People reported feeling more relaxed, reduced stress levels, and a greater motivation to protect wildlife which lasted long after the campaign ended.

Register your interest to be the first to hear when sign up opens to receive your free 30 Days Wild pack and embark on a journey that promises not just a month, but a lifetime, of wildness! 

Pre-register here!

Editor’s notes

Support for 30 Days Wild

30 Days Wild has attracted support from a range of famous faces including TV presenters Monty Don, Liz Bonnin, Steve Backshall and Ellie Harrison, as well as musician James Brittain-McVey, actor Alison Steadman and TV GP Dr Amir Khan. This year it is championed by Iolo Williams, wildlife presenter and Vice President, The Wildlife Trusts.

The University of Derby conducted a 5-year evaluation of 30 Days Wild participants from 2015-2020: it found that people reported they felt happier and healthier from taking part, with positive effects lasting for at least two months afterwards.

  • See a summary, 30 Days Wild – a five-year review, can be downloaded here. 
  • 30 Days Wild: Development and Evaluation of a Large-Scale Nature Engagement Campaign to Improve Well-Being by Miles Richardson, Adam Cormack, Lucy McRobert, Ralph Underhill was published Feb 2016. Online here.

People’s Postcode Lottery

Funds are raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and awarded by the Postcode Planet Trust.

www.postcodelottery.co.uk

The Wildlife Trusts

The Wildlife Trusts are making the world wilder and helping to ensure that nature is part of everyone’s lives. We are a grassroots movement of 46 charities with more than 910,000 members and 39,000 volunteers. No matter where you are in Britain, there is a Wildlife Trust inspiring people and saving, protecting and standing up for the natural world. With the support of our members, we care for and restore over 2,600 special places for nature on land and run marine conservation projects and collect vital data on the state of our seas. Every Wildlife Trust works within its local community to inspire people to create a wilder future – from advising thousands of landowners on how to manage their land to benefit wildlife, to connecting hundreds of thousands of school children with nature every year. www.wildlifetrusts.org

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