This weekend saw the launch our brand new group, Northants Nature Girls, which we were very excited to get going. The group is designed for women who love nature and the outdoors to connect with each other, meet like minded people, whilst enjoying time in nature and getting up to a range of activities.

For our launch event we headed off on adventure around the Nene Wetlands, to spot wildlife and to start to get to know each other. After two days of rain beforehand we were a bit concerned we would get soggy, but it turned into a lovely morning with the sun even making a special guest appearance! After the walk we headed back to the visitor centre to learn how to weave a willow bird feeder and enjoy some refreshments kindly donated by Pizza Express and Butterwicks at Rushden Lakes. We had such a lovely morning and it was great to get to know our nature girls.

Meeting people and making new friends into adulthood can be extremely difficult, particularly those that have the same interests as you. Perhaps a lot of your friends have gone to uni and you haven’t, or you’ve come back and people have moved away, or there’s just simply no one in your workplace that you can connect with. I myself have always found this struggle throughout my twenties, and before I started working for The Wildlife Trust I found it really hard to find people that were just as crazy for the outdoors as I am! And it’s not because they’re not out there, because they definitely are, and the responses we have had from starting the group have really proved that. Our launch event sold out within a few days and we have since had lots of others asking to join in too. So, if you’re wondering where to meet some new girlies that love spending their free time heading on a walk through the countryside or getting up to nature themed activities, this group is for you!

As well as making new friends, the group was also created to form a safe and friendly space for women to be able to feel comfortable enjoying nature. Unfortunately, there are a lot of barriers for different people when it comes to being able to enjoy the outdoors freely, and one of those is the issue of safety and feeling comfortable being alone. A lot of people do not feel safe walking on their own, and this is particularly true for women. I try and spend as much time as I can outdoors and I will often walk by myself, but I will never feel 100% comfortable doing so, and there is always going to be an edge of anxiety involved. Most women I know feel exactly the same, and there are a lot of women who will not feel comfortable to go by themselves or will avoid certain areas altogether- a lot of wild spaces are very remote and this can be quite daunting. This feeling is completely justified, but it is such a shame that there are these barriers that stop people enjoying nature in the way they want to. It has been proven time and time again that nature is incredibly beneficial for our mental wellbeing, and to then add barriers to being able to experience those benefits, can be very disheartening. We really wanted to create the group for women to come together and enjoy our beautiful outdoors and feel safe and happy doing so, perhaps exploring some places they’ve not been to before.

There are multiple sides to Northants Nature Girls, and we want everyone to get out what they want or need from it. We encourage girls to feel comfortable coming on their own, and we hope this new community will allow people to form new connections and friendships.

We have lots of exciting plans in the works, from more events and new ways to connect with each other. We will be announcing soon so do keep your eyes peeled. Girl power!

How to get involved and hear about our Northants Nature Girls Events:

We now have a private Facebook group for everyone to connect on and be the first to hear about events! Please send an email to Megan.Owen@wildlifebcn.org asking to join and we'll send you a link.

Follow us on our social media here: Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok.

Sign up to our Northamptonshire E-News letter to be sent events and updates directly to your inbox- E-news | Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs & Northants (wildlifebcn.org)

Or, if you have any questions please email me: Megan.Owen@wildlifebcn.org