It’s almost time for 30 Days Wild, The Wildlife Trusts’ annual nature challenge. Can you join thousands of people finding time to connect with nature this June? 

30 Days Wild is all about the little moments. The soothing scent of wildflowers as you stroll through the park, sunlight brushing your face as you sit in a garden, or the sweet sound of birdsong drifting down from a tree or hedgerow. It’s a reminder that wherever we are, there is nature to be found, even if it’s poking up between paving stones. 

30 Days Wild encourages us to take a little time to connect with the nature around us, to create new, wild memories. So, to celebrate these wild connections, some of the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust staff share their earliest memories of being in nature.

Eley Hart, Head of Resources

“Growing up on the Staffordshire/West Midlands border, we were lucky enough to have Cannock Chase on our doorstep. The whole family, including our dog, Acton, would visit on the weekend for a long walk through the lowland heathland and wooded areas. The challenge was to try and find an Adder, and I remember walking as quietly as possible, staring at the ground, hoping to spot one. In truth, any Adder would have heard us coming a mile away and beaten a hasty retreat, but we never stopped looking. It’s still on my species bucket list to see an Adder in the wild.”

Lowri Geddes, Conservation Officer

“I have such fond memories of visiting Llyn Coed y Dinas with my nan as a child! We’d sit and watch the Sand Martins flying in and out of the nesting holes, and it was there that I saw Great Crested Grebes for the first time; such elegant birds, they are still to this day one of my absolute favourites!” 

Clive Faulkner, CEO

“One of my earliest memories is something that genuinely changed the direction of my life. We were living in Scotland, and I was just four years old, when one spring day I happened to notice a Tortoiseshell Butterfly flapping against our garage window. It must have gone into the garage some months earlier to hibernate, as they do, and had obviously woken up and was now trying to get out into the sunshine. This absolutely mesmerized and fascinated me, and I spent that entire summer making butterflies, drawing and colouring in butterflies, putting colourful pictures of flowers on the backstep in the hopes of attracting butterflies. In many ways, all these years later, I’m still doing just that.”

Hannah Shuker, Membership Assistant

“One of my most vivid memories of nature as a child was thanks to my uncle, a passionate conservationist and licensed bat rehabilitator. I can’t forget the first time I saw one of the bats – a pipistrelle – he was looking after, up close; it amazed me that the lightning-quick, flitting shadows I watched from my bedroom window at dusk were actually flying mammals with such delicate-looking wings, characterful faces and tiny feet!”

Charlotte Clayton, Communications Officer

“From tiny, scurrying woodlice to gorgeously gnarled old oak trees, I’ve always found nature endlessly captivating, and I was lucky to grow up in Shropshire with hills, fields, rivers and woods providing daily opportunities to get amongst it. One memory that particularly stands out was, as a five year old, being allowed to stay up late so I could watch the hedgehogs that used to frequent our garden in summer. I still distinctly remember the thrill of sharing a space with wild creatures, watching them with my mum, hearing their noisy snuffles as they foraged for bugs in the grass. A few decades later, I feel very privileged to be receiving visits from one of these now red-listed mammals, and to be able to share the trail-cam footage with my little girl, Daisy, to hopefully give her that same thrill that instilled in me such wonder for the natural world.”

Fran Louise, People and Wildlife Engagement Officer

“My love of the natural world began young. I was always outdoors, digging for wiggly worms in the garden, lifting logs to find woodlice, or simply coming home muddy after exploring or helping my nan with her veg patch. Growing up in Mid Wales, I spent countless hours walking with my mum, who gave me a deep appreciation for the outdoors and all the small wonders within it. Some of my happiest memories are of being high up in nature – standing on places like Roundton Hill with the wind on my face, looking out across endless landscapes, and feeling both tiny and completely free at the same time. Nature became my place of connection and happiness – somewhere I still feel most grounded. I love that life has come full circle, and that I now get to inspire that same sense of wonder, curiosity and appreciation for the natural world through my work with young people.”

Katy Wright, HR, Volunteer and H&S Officer

“As a child I was very privileged to go on holidays to the coast most years, mainly around Cornwall, Scotland and over in Guernsey. I loved being at the beach and spent hours rock-pooling. This is something I still love to this day. I don’t think you ever lose the joy of it, but I now have a much better understanding of what I'm looking at and why it’s so very important to help wildlife in any way we can. This picture is in Guernsey; I was eight and have long outgrown the swimsuit!”

• To take part in 30 Days Wild with your children or grandchildren, or to reconnect your inner child with the wonder of the natural world, sign up now