Written by Billy Ward, London Blue Chain Trainee
This Pride Month, we’re celebrating an inspiring collaboration between the London Blue Chain project and Queer Minds London, bringing people together through creativity, nature and a shared sense of belonging.
Earlier this year, the London Blue Chain team partnered with Queer Minds London, an LGBTQIA+ peer support and wellbeing service in Lambeth and Southwark, to deliver a series of monthly workshops at Brockwell Community Greenhouses.
The collaboration began in January with a mosaic-making workshop, where participants enjoyed a guided tour of the community space brimming with wildlife-friendly gardens, growing areas and a pond, learned about the UK’s native amphibians and reptiles, and explored the importance of urban habitats for wildlife. The workshop provided an opportunity to connect with nature in a welcoming and inclusive environment while developing new creative skills.
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The following two workshops in February and March focused on the creation of a community tapestry. Together, members of Queer Minds London designed and crafted a lovely piece of artwork that reflects both their connection to London’s wildlife and their experiences of identity and belonging within the city. One side of the tapestry celebrates the species and green spaces that make London special, while the other explores themes of community, self-expression and pride. At the centre of the design sits a pond, symbolising the importance of blue spaces as places of life and connection.
So far, the collaboration has engaged more than 30 people, generating fantastic feedback from participants. Many highlighted the value of having opportunities to connect with both nature and other members of the LGBTQIA+ community in a supportive setting.
For Froglife and the London Blue Chain project, working alongside LGBTQIA+ groups is an important part of ensuring that nature conservation is accessible and welcoming to everyone. Access to green and blue spaces can have significant benefits for wellbeing, yet many people face barriers to feeling comfortable and represented in outdoor spaces. By creating opportunities for participation, creativity and practical conservation, we hope to help build stronger connections between people and nature while ensuring that conservation reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.
And the partnership isn’t over yet. In July, the London Blue Chain project will host a Froglife-themed day of activities at Rockingham Estate in Elephant & Castle, including a dedicated pond creation session with the Queer Minds group. As we celebrate Pride Month this month, we’re proud to continue building partnerships that champion inclusion, community and environmental action.
What we’re doing at Froglife to support the LGBTQIA+ Community:
- At Froglife our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Policy underpins everything we do, helping to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity, respect and fairness, regardless of their background or identity.
- All staff receive EDI training as part of their induction, with ongoing learning and development opportunities to help create an inclusive, welcoming culture across the organisation.
- We work to reach underrepresented and marginalised communities. Across all our projects, we actively engage with people who may face barriers to accessing nature, ensuring that conservation opportunities are open, relevant and accessible to everyone.
- We build partnerships that champion inclusion. By working with organisations representing diverse communities, including LGBTQIA+ groups, we create opportunities for people to connect with wildlife, improve wellbeing and feel a sense of belonging in nature.
- Pride Month reflects our year-round commitment. While we’re proud to celebrate Pride, our focus on inclusion extends throughout the year as we continue working to make nature conservation a space where everyone feels welcome, valued and able to participate.