Meet the wild bunch!
Trish and Nick, Local Residents
about INSTAR
We are INSTAR, artists Trish Evans and Nick Humphreys. INSTAR aims to create deeper connections to the natural world through contemporary art. We are also passionate about the natural world near and far. We founded Swift Street, a local voluntary project to raise awareness about Swifts which to date has resulted in the installation of over 60 swift boxes in residential areas where we live in Carrington /Sherwood. We have both worked within the conservation sector, Trish curated local campaigns such as #nottinghamfornature and events including The Wilder Woodland Gathering. Nick has been a life long naturalist and artist, volunteered as a licensed BTO bird ringer and is a trained Marine Mammal Medic.
Andy Callow, Local Resident
about Andy
I am a Sherwood resident with a passion and commitment to sustainable, wildlife friendly gardening.
As a garden designer and maker, I am driven by creating nature rich spaces for people and wildlife. I work with lots of community groups either running workshops or helping them create wild outdoor spaces.
My favourite thing is building and restoring wildlife ponds and love nothing more than being knee deep in water ( or mud) creating ponds to be amazing spaces for wildlife and people.
Martin Willis, Local Resident
about Martin
I've volunteered with the Wildlife Trust and the Nottingham Open Spaces Forum for a number of years and have a special interest in our urban environment - because it's where i live! I want to see a greener world around me with more natural life. I can't imagine having to try and get through the day if i couldn't start it with the sound of birdsong. And i know we can all do little things to help - doing little things together makes them into bigger things, and it's more fun so please join in!
Michelle Reader, Local Resident
about Michelle
I’m a Mapperley resident and have an allotment at St Ann's. I’m passionate about making space for wildlife both at home and beyond. I am deeply concerned about climate change and biodiversity loss, and in my professional life I create sculptures from waste materials that are inspired by the natural world.
Tracey Lloyd, Local Resident
about Tracey
I’ve been an environmental educator for 40+ years and I run several community and school environmental and growing projects in Nottingham and the Shire, always trying help people to grow food in a way that also supports the ecosystem.
I am inspired by how Wild NG engages with locals in novel ways to spread the message that the nature where we live matters and that we all have the power to help it recover.
Becky Beinart, Local Resident
about Becky
I’m a local resident, based in Carrington. I’m an artist who's enthusiastic about nature, ecology, community and social justice. I’ve got involved in Wild NG to support the project's development, and involve local communities in increasing access to and connection with the natural world.
Michael Peacock, Local Resident
about Michael
I’m a Sherwood resident with a keen interest in nature. By profession I work for the Woodland Trust as Head of Engagement and Volunteering. In my spare time I am an enthusiastic gardener and allotment holder and always looking for ways to create more space for urban wildlife, however small the plot. I am keen to inspire others to do the same and happy to share my ideas on how to make gardens & allotments more wildlife-friendly.
Alex Begg, Local Resident
about Alex
I am a local community member in Forest Fields and Sherwood Rise. I'm very keen to help replanting street trees where these have previously died or failed and in encouraging new urban tree canopy cover when brownfield and other sites are being developed.
For my day job I manage trees owned by the city council. I believe there is a good opportunity for a handover of projects and maintenance to local communities. The Wild NG area is a patchwork of different types of urban forest. With some well thought out efforts we can really make the most of our existing trees for wildlife and improve future opportunities with further planting.
Tim Allman, Local Resident
about Tim
I live in New Basford, where I work as a carpenter and green builder. I also work as a sessional worker at Ecoworks community garden on St. Anns Allotments, where the value of green spaces to our mental wellbeing shines through. I'm excited to support Wild.NG and work to help promote local connections to nature where we live, which couldn't be more important.
Ellie Mitchell, Local Resident
About Ellie
Ellie is a Nottingham-based professional Organic Gardener with a boundless passion for plants and wildlife. With her business Ellie's Wellies, she works in private gardens across the city and beyond, improving them for their owners and making them as beneficial to their wilder visitors as possible. In her spare time she volunteers at Hedgepigs hedgehog rescue, is co-presenter of The Wildlife Garden podcast, and can generally be found wilding it up in the great outdoors, whatever the weather!
Lorna Griffiths, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust
about Lorna
I am the City Nature Recovery Officer for Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and the Chair of the Nottinghamshire Dormouse Group. I grew up in Sneinton and spent much of my childhood searching out urban wildlife in little pockets of green space on the edges of the city. Not having a garden at home meant that I had to find other ways of ‘greening’ my life, starting with planting up numerous window / street boxes, ‘wilding’ my allotment and offering advice to neighbours on ways to attract wildlife into their spaces. I have always felt a deep connection with nature and after studying wildlife conservation and countryside management at university I spent 10 years working as an ecological consultant, advising homeowners and landowners on ways to reduce impacts to wildlife and habitats as a result of development.
As an advisor, I hope that I can assist in creating sustainable nature recovery networks across the cityscape, and introduce a little piece of nature into everyone’s lives.
Michael Walker, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust
about Michael
I have been involved in wildlife recording and conservation in Nottinghamshire for over 30 years and am a past Nottinghamshire butterfly recorder and the current mammal recorder. For the last 25 years of so my main interest has been bats and small mammal, especially the hazel dormouse. I am passionate about the restoration of our landscape, both rural and urban, for the benefit of wildlife. For the last nine years I have worked for Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and am currently the Nature Recovery Manager and helping to manage some fabulous wild places.