A Focus On Nature, Advent Calendar, Now for Nature
AFON
Inspirational Women to NowforNature – Charley Miller
Welcome to our 2016 Advent Calendar series (#AFONAdvent)! This year, our theme is “The Gift of Inspiration”. For each day, one of our members has written a blog post about someone who has inspired them, and how that inspiration has lead to them being where they are today. Each member is a shining example of a young person who is acting Now for Nature. We hope that you enjoy the series and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
There is no one person who I identify as having inspired me to pursue a career in wildlife conservation. There are many, and I am grateful to them all for their support. They include my mentors, peers, friends and family (sometimes these overlap!), and together they have all helped me get to where I am in my career today.
I am fortunate to have had some fantastic mentors over the last few years. Cathy Cordery gave me my first break with East Sussex County Council. After graduating from the University of Sussex in 2011 with a BSc degree in Geography and wondering what I should do with it, I secured the position of Trainee Ranger and had a great year learning lots. More recently, throughout my Wildlife Skills traineeship, Dawn Lenn (Devon Wildlife Trust) and Rachel Janes (Dorset Wildlife Trust) supported me and gave my confidence a much-needed boost.
Rachel Janes at our Wildlife Skills Celebration Event in May 2016
Wildlife Skills, a Skills for the Future project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, brings together trainees from Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire Wildlife Trusts and has resulted in the creation of new networks of conservationists. I learnt so much from so many people over the course of this traineeship, including the staff and specialist volunteers with years of experience, and also those who are just starting out in their careers like me – my fellow trainees. Being surrounded by so much energy, expertise and encouragement was fantastic, and as well as learning lots we had fun and made friends for life!
Project development training on residential week in Wiltshire
Wildlife Skills trainees posing as a boy band at Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve, Devon Wildlife Trust (after some hard work scrub bashing).
L-R me, Christina Bowdler, Sophie Franks, Amy Brocklehurst, Becky Falkingham and Leighann Briggs
Seeing younger women in positions of responsibility has helped me to visualise myself in similar roles in the future. Alison Smith (formerly Plymouth Woodland Project, now Plantlife), Megan Lowe (formerly Butterfly Conservation, now Dorset Wildlife Trust) and Jenni Byrne (Lancashire Wildlife Trust) are three of many young women who are role models for me. The whole Education Team at Lancashire Wildlife Trust are wonderful; they encouraged me and gave me the confidence and opportunities to use my ideas and develop myself during my short contract with them this summer.
My inspirational Education Team at Lancashire Wildlife Trust
Throughout my career, including through a period of ill health, I have been fortunate to have the financial and emotional support of my mum, Julie Martin. I couldn’t have got here without her, so she gets a special mention!
My mum and Dolly, somewhere in Cornwall
These women have all taught me a lot and encouraged me along the start of my journey in conservation, and I thank them for their help. They have all made me feel like this is something I can, should and will do even when I have doubt
ed myself. Whether directly or indirectly, they have encouraged me to keep going and not give up in pursuing a career in this sector that is so tough to get into!
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