Kettering Nature Group

Aim

We strive to promote an interest in, and enthusiasm for, the natural world and encourage more people to join us in improving biodiversity.

Our vision is simple: to encourage people to care about the natural world.

Kettering Nature Group was founded by Adam Riley and Helen Wren, who have collaborated on citizen science projects for several years. We recognise the disparity in access to nature experienced by different individuals and are committed to creating inclusive opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to enjoy nature on an equal footing. Our goal is to provide experiences that allow everyone, regardless of age, gender, culture, financial circumstances, or any other barriers they may face, to appreciate the wonders and beauty of the natural world. Through our free events, we introduce participants to nature in unique ways that they may not have otherwise had the opportunity to experience, while also promoting biodiversity through biological recording.

We are now thrilled to share our exciting plans for expanding the variety of events we can provide and the species we can document. However, we require your support in order to bring these plans to fruition. We are aiming to raise £4500 in order to acquire new equipment that will not only replace outdated or aging gear but also empower us to offer a broader selection of complementary activities, providing you with unique opportunities to engage with nature like never before!

We acknowledge that £4500 is a lot of money. 

Up to this point, we have relied on our own equipment and financed events out of our own pockets. Unfortunately in order to expand the range of activities we can offer,  we are no longer able to finance this ourselves. However, there is positive news: every donation you provide will be matched at a ratio of 2 to 1. This means that for every £10 donated, we will receive £30 in total! Your contribution will greatly influence our capacity to further connect you with nature and enhance biodiversity prospects not only in Kettering but also beyond its borders.

We invite you to join us for our free events - whether it be bat walks, birdwatching expeditions, butterfly spotting adventures, or searching for harvest mouse nests - or even participate in activities like creative writing walks or woodland crafts. Our belief is that when people have direct experiences with nature, they develop an appreciation for it; this appreciation then leads them towards taking action to protect it.

We are situated in a country that has been heavily impacted by the depletion of nature. The loss of species and habitats poses a significant threat to life on Earth, comparable to the dangers posed by climate change. 

Kettering Nature Group works tirelessly to inspire more individuals to spend time outdoors and appreciate nature's wonders, and to start submitting biological records in order to improve the prospects for biodiversity.

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you'll find in one area—the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world. Each of these species and organisms work together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to maintain balance and support life. It serves as a scientific measure of the variety of species, habitats, and ecosystems present across our planet. It is crucial for human existence and contributes to the flourishing countryside we enjoy. In addition to supporting our food sources and providing us with clean air, biodiversity also plays a vital role in protecting us from other hazards such as pollution, flooding, and climate breakdown.

Making informed decisions about nature conservation relies on having access to reliable biological records. These records consist of points on a map indicating where specific species were observed at particular times. By monitoring these points, we can gain valuable insights into changes in species populations over time.

This is why we run free events to bring people closer to nature - as Sir David Attenborough puts it "No one will protect what they don't care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced".

How will my contribution make a difference? 

Every donation we receive will be used to acquire equipment that allows us to share the beauty of the natural world. These resources enable us to organize free events where everyone is welcome and encouraged to explore nature using the equipment. Who knows what spark may be ignited from experiencing the wonders of the natural world in ways never imagined! Our events have provided countless individuals with their first encounters, such as listening to bats, witnessing the intricate beauty of moths up close, participating in conservation efforts through biological recording, tracking Tawny Owls through woodlands, and so much more.

Thank you so much for any support you can provide - please help us spread the word about our project with your friends and family, whether they're close by or far away. Let's join forces and create a positive change in our environment!

Find us on Facebook, Instagram and on our website.

Testimonials

• My daughter (12) and I joined Kettering Nature group for one of their Invertebrates evenings with bat detecting.  We had a great time and learnt so much. My Daughter has autism and was made to feel at ease.  She definitely got the “Bug” for bugs! A very friendly group with an obvious passion for nature and wealth of knowledge they want to share.

Rachel Bell

• I did the Brambleside and Weekley Hall Wood bat walk last night. Very informative and interesting evening and was an amazing experience watching the bats swooping so low over our heads, and so many of them as they took their nightly trip to the woods for feeding.  I hope to participate in lots more events and surveys organised by this group. Thanks again to Adam and Helen.

Anette Nutty Turner

• Thank you so much for the most enjoyable and interesting evening surveying the wild flowers and grasses at the meadow by the Green Patch. My daughter particularly enjoyed the bug netting! Very educational and a real eye opener into the importance of recording what we see to save our wild spaces 

Kim Parry

This project successfully funded on 29th November 2023