The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) has completed a two-year project to restore nature in underserved Berkshire communities.

The initiative, part of the £5 million National Lottery Heritage Fund grant awarded to The Wildlife Trusts in 2022, aimed to improve the lives of people in disadvantaged UK areas and create a lasting natural legacy for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

BBOWT received £90,000 of this funding to work with marginalised communities in Reading and Slough.

The Nextdoor Nature project sought to bring more nature to where people live and work, empowering local communities to take action for nature in their areas.

Over two years, BBOWT collaborated with ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, refugees, asylum seekers, faith groups, young people, and LGBTQ+ support services to deliver 15 community projects.

These included restoring wildlife gardens, delivering health and wellbeing sessions, and installing over 50 wildlife boxes.

Barbara Polonara, community wildlife officer at BBOWT, said: "Contact with nature is scientifically proven to help our mental and physical health, and granting access to the outdoors to those who don’t have a garden or who experience accessibility issues has been crucial to the delivery of the project."

The initiative's success has sparked a renewed interest in nature among communities, with many groups now collaborating to share knowledge and ideas.

The skills, tools, and opportunities provided by Nextdoor Nature will allow communities to continue their work.