Over the past year, TVERC has been proud to be part of the Waste Innovation Station Headquarters (WISH) Partnership, learning alongside communities about how time spent noticing nature can spark connection, curiosity and care for the environment.
Through our Noticing Nature events, we saw first‑hand how slowing down and spending time in local green spaces can shift the way people relate to the places they live. Whether exploring meadow, fen, woodland or wetland, participants told us they gained confidence, curiosity and a sense of belonging, often by noticing wildlife they had never spotted before, just minutes from home.
A key learning from the programme was the value of low‑pressure, welcoming spaces to get started with nature and wildlife recording. Simple tools like hand lenses and iNaturalist, combined with learning from local experts, helped people realise that contributing to nature recovery doesn’t require specialist knowledge, just time, attention and care.
This approach is captured in the Banerjee family’s story at Heyford Meadow, where a TVERC Noticing Nature event became a shared, cross‑generational experience. From rediscovering past studies in zoology and botany to learning new ways of observing plants and insects together, their story shows how community‑led activities can spark curiosity, revive old knowledge, and create meaningful moments through nature.
Read the full impact story here: Banerjee’s Story -TVERC Impact Story
Our involvement in the Ripples of Change Sustainable Fashion Show at Blenheim Palace reinforced these same themes, using moth trapping to open conversations about nature, sustainability and everyday choices. Being part of WISH has strengthened TVERC’s commitment to creating inclusive opportunities that connect people to nature, to each other, and to the skills needed to care for the environment close to home - learnings echoed across the WISH Year 2 Impact Report.
Read the WISH Year 2 Impact Report: WISH year 2 impact report_digital
