JUNE has been dubbed the month for random acts of wildness – so why not take a walk in a wood, make a daisy chain, create some natural art, identify local wildlife or prepare a picnic for the birds?

The popular summer challenge, called 30 Days Wild, was created by the Wildlife Trusts. It starts on Friday and continues through the month. Sign up for a wallchart to keep a record of your wild activities too.

Last year 250,000 people took part and new research has revealed that taking part boosts not only your appreciation of the beauty in nature, but helps you feel happier too.

One local family taking part in the challenge are the Whitings, from Minety. In fact, mum Sarah Whiting has set up a popular blog called Craft Invaders which is all about the pleasures of spending time in nature with lots of arty and crafty ideas for activities to do in the great outdoors.

I’m meeting with Sarah and her daughter Ellie, 10, in the lush, green surroundings of The Firs, a historic piece of old woodland owned by Hills and managed by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. It is hard to imagine a more beautiful moment, with bright sunshine shining through fresh new leaves. As I wait, a roe deer with upright antlers almost bounds into me, heralding the arrival of mother and daughter, who stride from slender oak trees and the last bluebells.

Ellie has already been busy and reveals her natural creations – including a bracelet made with petals and leaves, and a smooth stone which she had painted and intends to leave in the wood.

Sarah says they have taken part in 30 Days Wild for the last two years – and were looking forward to this year’s adventures in nature.

“It gets me outside and it’s a good way to spend times with children outside,” she says. “It encourages them and gives them inspiration.”

Ellie says: “I like doing something different every day, and instead of going to the same places, we can go somewhere different.”

Her nature band is made from sticky tape, made into a loop with the sticky side out so leaves and petals can be stuck on it.  “30 Days Wild encourages kids to look more closely at things,” Sarah explains.

She has lots of ideas for fun activities, such as creating a wild obstacle course, climbing trees, measuring the height of trees to try and estimate their ages, visiting the local wildlife rescue centre Oak and Furrow, and going on picnics.

“You can do anything,” she says.

Learning how to forage is another activity you can try. Sarah picks out a tiny leaf of wood sorrel, which has a distinct apple taste. She has recipes for nettle crisps and says you can use them to make a cordial.  “We want to encourage people to go out more, and to appreciate the natural world a bit more. That’s what we need to do so that people will be more inclined to protect it.”

Sarah set up her website three years ago with, to inspire people to create, explore and discover. It has lots of original craft tutorials, recipes and information on foraging.  Recently she was also appointed an Ordnance Survey Get Outside Champion – one of 60 across the country. Alongside fellow champions such as broadcaster Ben Fogle and endurance adventurer Sean Conway, her new role is to help and inspire people to GetOutside in 2018. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram to get advice, follow her adventures and see some photographs.

“We need to find out the real reasons people don’t get outside more,” she says. “Some people don’t feel fit enough, or don’t feel confident to go out. There may be mental health reasons too.That’s what I’m hoping to address.”

The 30 Days Wild project includes a Big Wild Weekend in Wiltshire – which takes place June 16 and 17 at Langford Lakes nature reserve, near Salisbury. This free event will include bird watching, natural crafts, whittling and nature trails for all the family. 

Academics at the University of Derby have monitored the challenge since it began in 2015 and discovered that spending time in nature makes people feel good. 

Dr Miles Richardson, director of psychology at the University of Derby said: “Over the past three years we’ve repeatedly found that taking part in 30 Days Wild improves health, happiness, nature connection and conservation behaviours. Now we’ve discovered that engagement with the beauty of nature is part of that story. 

“Tuning-in to the everyday beauty of nature becomes part of a journey which connects us more deeply to the natural world. As people’s appreciation of natural beauty increases, so does their happiness.  We respond to beauty - it restores us and balances our emotions. This, in turn, encourages people to do more to help wildlife and take action for nature.”  

The latest set of results from the study of 30 Days Wild also confirms that the benefits of the challenge last well after the month has ended. In fact, the beneficial impact of taking part could last an entire year.  Sign-up to 30 Days Wild and you’ll get a free pack with a booklet of inspirational ideas for Random Acts of Wildness, a recipe for wild strawberry and thyme ice cream, wildflower seeded paper to sow, a wall chart to record your activities and wild stickers. There are special packs for schools with outdoor lesson plans and giant Random Acts of Wildness cards. Business can join in too, with tailored download packs to bring the ‘wild’ to work.

This year’s theme is all about helping wildlife in our neighbourhood and the pack has inspiring ideas for sharing the challenge locally. See great ways to green-up your street - from carving hedgehog holes in fences to putting up bird and bat boxes and doing a local litter pick.

Lucy McRobert, of the Wildlife Trusts, said: “30 Days Wild is a lovely way to get closer to nature and marvel at the everyday wildlife that lives all around you. Sit quietly and enjoy watching dragonflies dance over a pond or take a moment to sow a window-box of wildflowers to help bees. Get together with your neighbours to create hedgehog highways or sow front-garden meadows along the length of your street. No matter how small the action, it all counts.”

Visit mywildlife.org.uk to sign up. Sarah’s website is craftinvaders.co.uk and for the Get Outside project, visit getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk.