Blogger: Gena Correale-Wardle, Community Fundraising Officer
Today is my last day before a week off work and I am looking forward to getting out and about in the next 9 days. I’m off to London for a couple of days on Sunday and am looking forward to sitting in Greenwich park for the very first time with my boyfriend. On Monday we are going to visit two of my best friends to sit in the sun and enjoy an ice cold after-work drink with them. Tuesday will be spent wandering around Cambridge, we might even take a punt along the river if we’re feeling brave! The rest of the week we are at home in Norwich and I’m looking forward to pottering about in the garden, taking a bike ride along Marriott’s Way and taking a picnic down to my local park.
But the trip I’m most looking forward to is tomorrow when my boy and I are off to Holkham beach, one of our favourite places in the world, a place that represents pure happiness to us both. We’ll probably go for a long walk, maybe even as far as Wells, stop off for a drink and fish and chips, then catch the Coasthopper bus back to the car. It will simply be a day of fun - running along the sand, dipping my feet in the sea, searching for seashells, watching the oystercatchers skipping along the shore and seeing the gulls circling overhead. A perfect seaside day that hasn’t changed since I was a child.
The thing that strikes me about all the things I’m looking forward to on my week off is that they are all outdoors activities. I totally take being outdoors and enjoying my surroundings for granted sometimes, but I will endeavour not to this week. Next time you are out enjoying your morning walk to work or a picnic on a sandy beach, have a think about how different your world would be if there weren’t birds singing in the trees to herald you on your walk or if the beach you sat on was littered with rubbish rather than seashells.
We live in a beautiful natural world but it takes a lot to protect it. Please help the natural world and Step Up For Nature in any way you can – whether it’s feeding the birds in your garden to help them stay singing, making a donation to help protect our sealife or telling a friend about the fantastic work of the RSPB. Whatever you do, take time to enjoy the great outdoors sometime soon and think about all the things that come together to make it so special.
Great presents for the kids this summer, our marine pin badges. Great momento of a seaside day out and you are stepping up for nature at the same time.