A new initiative in Sandown is inviting residents to reconnect with nature – starting with something as simple as picking up a free card.
The Nurture Nature Cards project is the idea of Christine Jackson, who founded the Sandown Green Town Volunteers (SGTV) and served as Chairperson for ten years.
Simple steps to help wildlife
Christine created the cards to show how easy it is to support wildlife, whether in a garden, on a balcony or even with a bird bath or plant pot.
Her hope is that the cards, which are colourful and collectable, will particularly appeal to school children and spark their interest in local wildlife.
Backed by local support
The scheme received funding from the Co-op Community Fund and relies on support from local businesses to bring the idea to life.
Twelve Sandown shops are each displaying a different card on their counters. All cards are free and aim to encourage people to explore local stores they might not have visited before.
Christine said,
“We hope that children (and adults) wanting to collect the different pictures, will perhaps visit a shop that they have not been in before, and see what Sandown has to offer.”
Three themed sets of four cards
The full collection of twelve cards is divided into three themed sets:
Green Gardens Set
- Lazy Lawns
- Plant a Tree
- Water Wise
- Water Ways
Nurture Nature Set
- Hedgehog Highways
- Hedgehog Hosts
- Hedgehog Habitat
- Bug Houses
Plant for Pollinators Set
- Plant for Pollinators Spring/Summer
- Bee Friendly
- Plant for Pollinators Autumn/Winter
- Plant for Butterflies
Locally designed and photographed
Nicky Parker, SGTV Treasurer, designed and curated the card collection. She also photographed the twelve featured images, each illustrating a different topic.
Nicky said,
“Connecting with wildlife and being outside amongst nature, boosts our well-being. Seeing a hedgehog in your back garden is magical! I hope this project will show our younger generation how nurturing nature will have a positive impact on their lives as well as on that of our planet.”
