Over the past six months, the Wilder Bangor Project has focused on creating more access to nature, focusing on two main groups: people from Global Ethnic Majorities and LGBTQ+ people. The project has been wonderfully successful, reaching hundreds of people as well as piloting multiple avenues to open access and conversations to groups we have been working with. Nature belongs to everyone, and that simple idea is at the heart of everything we do with the Wilder Bangor project. Bangor is a brilliant, vibrant city surrounded by amazing outdoor spaces, but getting out to enjoy them isn't always easy for everyone. If you don't see yourself represented outdoors, or you just aren't sure where it's safe and easy to walk, taking that first step can feel pretty scary.

Nature belongs to everyone, and that simple idea is at the heart of everything we do with the Wilder Bangor project. Bangor is a brilliant, vibrant city surrounded by amazing outdoor spaces, but getting out to enjoy them isn't always easy for everyone. If you don't see yourself represented outdoors, or you just aren't sure where it's safe and easy to walk, taking that first step can feel pretty scary.

Throughout this project, we have been working alongside local people to make nature and our local outdoor spaces feel welcoming and relevant to everyday life.

We have also been working with deaf groups to pilot British Sign Language (BSL) talks. As part of our project's ethos that nature is for everyone, we wanted to include as many people as possible. I gave a talk on the urban nature reserves around Bangor, with help from COS based in Colwyn Bay, and we had a live BSL translator, allowing accurate, real-time translation. We shared this with a wide range of groups, from COS themselves to Bangor University's disability groups. The talk was a great success and had around 24 people attend. I received only positive feedback regarding the BSL interpretation, so hopefully this is something we can continue as a Trust in the future.

One aspect of our project has been to run walk-and-talk sessions to help people get comfortable with local nature spots.

I recently led a walk with a local refugee group, exploring local areas in Bangor as well as Nantporth, a North Wales Wildlife Trust nature reserve. My colleague Tomos has also been busy leading walks for a whole mix of groups, including sessions for the LGBTQ+ community, local Welsh learners who wanted a relaxed, low-pressure spot to practice their conversational Welsh, and new international students at Bangor University.

I believe these walks are about much more than just fresh air. They're about making sure everyone feels like these spaces belong to them, too. Something we realised when creating the project was that one of the biggest barriers to getting outside is simply not knowing what to expect. If you aren't sure whether a path has steep hills or anywhere to sit down, it can feel like a gamble sometimes.

To help clear that up, we created a set of interactive maps and virtual nature tours. You can check out local routes online before leaving the house to see exact layouts, accessibility details, and handy points of interest. If you prefer having something in your hand, we’ve also provided printable guides that families and local groups can be given them if they’re visiting or have just moved to the area.

We also wanted a way to share personal stories, both those behind the project and in local communities, so we teamed up with Bangor University to pilot podcasts which we’ve called Harbouring Conversations.

Drawing inspiration from Bangor’s coastal roots, the podcast is an informal chat about belonging, community, and what caring for the environment looks like on a human level. Avoiding rigid technical jargon helped us have good, honest chats.

Creativity has been another great way to bring people together. I ran a bunting-making workshop with a local refugee group, where we spent a lovely afternoon crafting colourful, handmade decorations to be used at our Nature Fair in September.

The Nature Fair was our celebratory event of the project and was designed to bring the local community together. We had nine different organisations from across North Wales join up to deliver creative workshops and interactive stalls - all free to access and designed to give people to connect with nature through art and games. We also had creative workshops at Storiel, such as taster sessions with local theatre company Frân Wen, as well as wellbeing walks.

The event was really successful with a footfall of over 100 people throughout the day. This was despite the weather! Our thanks go to Bangor City Council for providing shelter in Neuadd Penrhyn.

We hope to be successful in securing further funding to continue this project in the future - to help build stronger relationships between ourselves and the local community of Bangor, through shared experiences of nature.

Find out more about our Wilder Bangor project