What’s your role at SWT and how long have you been with us?

I’m the Community Officer working on the new Nextdoor Nature Project, and I’ve been at SWT since July 2022. The Nextdoor Nature Project is a grassroots programme designed to help people work together to create habitats in everyday local spaces from playgrounds to patches of neglected land. I’ve spent much of my time so far designing the ins and outs of the programme while researching and contacting community groups that might be interested in getting involved. I’ve been visiting different communities across Guildford (Westborough and Stoke) and Woking (Sheerwater and Maybury) to identify any barriers they have when accessing nature, and to understand how they want to restore nature within their local green spaces.

What did you do before you joined us and why did you choose to join the SWT team?

I used to be a secondary school English teacher! I wanted to continue working with the community in a meaningful way, while exploring my passion for the environment. I chose to join the team at Surrey Wildlife Trust because I wanted to make a real and practical contribution – and when I met my future colleagues I found them welcoming, inspirational and truly passionate about what they’re doing.

What’s been a highlight of your work so far?

I’m currently working with several community groups, and I’ll share updates as all the exciting events unfold and projects begin to take shape. A recent highlight was the Youth Weekender, where more than 40 Wildlife Trusts came together and facilitated an event driven by the ideas and aspirations of young people. I think we all left the event feeling inspired, energised, and filled with hope for the future.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered?

Getting to grips with and taking ownership of an entirely new project has been the most challenging and yet rewarding experience. Nothing will beat the feeling of watching a plan fall into place!

What does a typical day look like?

I often start the day by catching up on emails, responding to colleagues and community groups and booking in events. I then might head to meet with a community group: this could be at a place of worship, community centre, community garden, office or even at a local café! The meeting could be an introduction to the Nextdoor Nature Project, a listening exercise, a practical activity, or larger-scale community conservation project. Following the meeting, I’d likely stop for lunch before continuing with my day - lunch would be something wholesome (and vegan!). In the afternoon, I often have meetings with colleagues or community groups and get to work planning future community events. I might spend the remainder of the day creating copy for social media channels, community event resources, project documentation, or SWT blog posts. Sometimes, I have meetings or events in the evenings to accommodate for community availability. No two days are the same!

What would you like to have achieved by this time next year?

I want to see communities across Guildford and Woking working collaboratively to create change, helping nature thrive. It would be brilliant to have a network of community groups supporting each other in taking small actions that add up to big changes. I’m currently identifying those community groups and will empower them, through support and training, to develop and maintain nature independently, leaving a legacy.

Who are your conservation heroes?

I hate to be cliché, but it has to be Attenborough. He famously said, “no one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced.” That quote really stuck with me. We’re here to help people understand the urgency of the climate and nature emergency, and we’ll do so by empowering communities to develop and protect their local green spaces.