Hasn’t the last year been outright odd! Days have snowballed into weeks and months into more than a year. More than a year of our lives disrupted, wondering what normal ever was or will be again. 

Do I miss my daily commute? No. Are people more than a head on a screen? Probably - but I'm not sure how tall anyone is! Will I give up my early morning and lunch time rambles to return to a life less ordinary? Absolutely not. And I’ll tell you why.  

It’s because there’s nothing ordinary about nature or just being, outside with wildlife, on your own sometimes but not always.

There’s nothing that compares to simply feeling, seeing and smelling the seasons change, being cold, being hot, rain, wet hair, wet feet from heavy dew. Snow, hail, blossom on the hedges and trees, bluebells, butterflies, bees. Swallows arrive, lawns are cut, the scent of honeysuckle drifts on the evening breeze seducing insects, bats feast at head height. 

Now it’s nearly summer, life is real and certainly not ordinary.  June is almost here and it’s time to be wild every day for thirty days.

For some years now The Wildlife Trusts have challenged this nation of nature lovers to go back to their roots and undertake a random act of wildness every day in the glorious month of June. 

Your local Wildlife Trust, BBOWT, has embraced this 30 Days Wild challenge. So have I. 

In past years I have hung from boughs of oak trees like a child and tried to spell words with my body on the beach, I’ve lain in the long grass and admired the intricacy of a snail shell. And I’ve really enjoyed being a little bit wilder. 

Our research has found that people who take part in 30 Days Wild are happier and healthier as a result – and if you plant some seeds, make a bug hotel or leave a patch of your garden to go wild, you’ll be helping nature on your doorstep too.  

All you have to do to take part is pledge to do one wild thing every day during the month of June – ‘random act of wildness’ include listening to birdsong, taking wildlife photographs, going on a wild bike ride, jumping in puddles or doing a spot of cloud gazing. You can choose what to do – as long as it’s wild! It’s great fun.

This year the challenge starts on 1st June with a mass outdoor breakfast – so I’ll be out in my garden early spotting butterflies, birds and beetles while munching on my cereal and toast! Why not join in and start your day the wild way?

Signing up for the challenge keeps you on track for your wild month and can help inspire new ideas for your adventures. By getting involved you are helping yourself stay close to nature and we hope the challenge will help many more of us to value and protect our natural world.

Last year more than 6,000 people across our three counties took part in 30 Days Wild and this year we hope even more people across the patch will join in. Signing up is free and open to all.

You’ll get a digital pack full of wild ideas and tips for individuals and families, and there are even special packs for schools, care homes and businesses – so anyone can have a go! 

Sign up to 30 Days Wild

And if you want to make sure future generations can experience the joy of wildlife why not join up as a member of BBOWT at the same time? Never has it been more important to give wildlife a voice.