In the beginning…

It was my Dad that first inspired my interest in birds and the natural world. Throughout my childhood, my family and I regularly enjoyed wanders in woodlands, across moors and beaches. Munching on our picnics and watching the wildlife pass by.

Dad was always first to identify the birds as they flew past, usually by their calls or distinctive feathers and shapes. And whilst it was always fascinating to see them, it was their natural behaviours which sparked off my own imagination, inspiring my pen to hit the paper.

A life of learning…

Over the last twenty years, I have been fortunate enough to work in the environmental charity sector. With many years spent in the National Trust and then the last six years working for BBOWT.

Over that time my daily work has covered a wide remit, from running a National Trust site to helping save five miles of the White Cliffs of Dover, amongst other iconic sites and habitats.

Although, it has really been my experiences in the last six years which have had the most fundamental and personal impact on me. As I learned with fascination about the complexity of my local landscapes, the continual large-scale challenge of engaging people to care about their local wildlife and the threats of a changing climate.

A life changing moment…

Writing stories has always been my ‘happy place’, even though it has taken me many years of crafting my skills and researching my subjects. Yet, I remember one occasion in my early career which fundamentally inspired me to begin to create the animals within my series ‘The Last Year of The Wild’.

Early on in my career, I used to look forward to welcoming primary school groups onto the 18^th century landscape within which I worked and lived.

I would eagerly wait for their buses to arrive down the long track in front of me. As I knew any minute I would be welcoming a group of wide eyed and excited children. Armed with my usual array of Beatrix Potter characters and with tales such as ‘Wind in the Willows’ at the forefront of my mind. I would lead my groups off into the woods and across the landscape for the day ahead.

One summer, I began to welcome school groups from inner-city Birmingham. Whilst excited at the open spaces which greeted them, these children were clearly cautious about being in such an unfamiliar environment. As the teachers swiftly explained that these kids had never been so close to nature before, it was clear that I needed to change my approach.

I quickly discovered that my well-rehearsed routine of using traditional characters such as Mole and Ratty to explain woodland and river life, would no longer receive traction.

Being a great believer in ‘show’ as opposed to ‘tell’. I found myself inventing new characters, creatures that they might see down a street in Birmingham and the adventures they might get up to.

That night, I remember feeling deeply moved by my experiences of the day. Sad, that those happy young faces I had met, clearly regularly missed out on the freedom that green spaces can offer.

I only hoped that I had conjured up enough intrigue for them, that they might go home curious to learn more? Yet, there was a wider underpinning question, which began to bother me.

Surely this group of kids represented a much larger section of society who had moved so far away from considering themselves part of nature. That wildlife and wild spaces was potentially becoming a ‘them’ and ‘us’ situation?

It is something which still concerns me today, although I know I am far from alone.

Creating ‘The Last Year of The Wild’…

At the heart of my stories has always been one simple mission; to engage and delight children using the characteristics of the wildlife around us. I am a true believer in the power of storytelling and its ability to positively influence our lives.

In the last few years, I have worked to bring all the stories and characters I have invented together in one adventure series, which, I hope, will inspire the next generation to become curious about the natural world.

Using my knowledge of conservation, my love of birds and wildlife together with the challenges our planet faces, the story has taken shape. The adventure, which is set in 2060, sees our most familiar birds staring disaster in the face and questioning the unthinkable suggestion that Human Beings might have been stupid enough to destroy their own planet.

The series is made up of five books, which are set over the period of one year to allow them to experience the challenges of the unpredictable seasonal changes across the British Isles.

Whilst volume 1 and 2 follows closely the lives of a bird community. The story is designed to eventually encompass a whole cast which reflects UK wildlife. At its heart, this is story of friendship, family values and bravery as well as most importantly, a story of hope.

The Last Year of The Wild – Volume 1 is available from BBOWT's online shop and 5% of the profits of this book will go to help fund the incredible and inspirational work of my colleagues at BBOWT.