Festival brings nature closer to people...

There were nervous glances as a thunderstorm got closer and closer to the Manchester Festival of Nature but everything worked out well in the end says Alan Wright

A week before this year’s Manchester Festival of Nature, we were watching the weather forecast and there it was: thunder and lightning was going to splash down around 2pm.

It was a brave decision but we decided to go ahead and, just as we planned, the rain came pouring down just as we were packing up. We got drenched but we were singing in the rain after another successful MFoN.

The previous 12 hours had been bathed in sunshine and that warmth reflected the event that is Manchester’s wildest festival.

MFoN was funded by the Parklife Fund, Little Green Feet and RRG Toyota. If you would like to get involved in future festivals contact awright@ lancswt.org.uk

8am – The first stallholders start to arrive and the gazeboes from our friends at Niche Event Hire are set up around the Stables Café garden. Park staff are arriving and the place is coming to life.

9am – The flashing lights of our corporate friends RRG Toyota brought their electric and hydrogen cars through the park. We were also supported by Little Green Feet, who make sustainable school shoes from recycled plastic. They brought plants pots for people to paint, and it was so colourful.

11am – Team briefing as everyone is pretty much set up, but visitors are already milling around the stalls. The amazing St John Ambulance team arrives.

Noon – The Blackley Brass Band strikes up a welcome and the festival begins in earnest. Musical accompaniment is provided by the Flat Cap Trio and the Solar DJ, this is providing a melodius soundtrack to the proceedings. Wandering into MFoNmust be like walking into a beehive where everything is absolutely buzzing around you.

Activities include natural dyeing, mindfulness, forest bathing, a giant Jenga, wildlife recording, wind spinners, woodland games, willow weaving, seed bombs, scavenger hunts, den building, sphagnum squeezing and some fascinating research games from MMU.

A number of people are modelling the impressive peat poncho, a gift from the Wildlife Trusts. >>>

1pm – The brass section heralds the beginning of the Pollinator Parade, with families coming to the park specially dressed as bees, wasps and other insects. We even had a stork with ridiculously long legs. We know it’s been a successful day because of the smiles on peoples’ faces –visitors, volunteers and participants.

3.30pm – The buzz continues and we estimated between 3-4,000 visitors and more than 100 participants. We started to pack up as the first roll of thunder heads our way from Manchester.

4.30pm – Everyone is away and the rain is now tumbling down like a waterfall. It’s been a warm day, so this is welcome.

The event is run by the Manchester Nature Consortium and partners include the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, City of Trees, Action for Conservation, The Conservation Volunteers, Manchester Museum, Canal and River Trust, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester City Council and Heaton Park. Many other organisations have been involved in the festival in the past and are expected to return for 2024.

MFoN is a great way to celebrate the wildlife of the city and have a good time while we are doing it. Lots of families get involved in the festival, so we are hopefully educating the Attenboroughs of the future. We are showing everyone that natureis beautiful, interesting and definitely fun.

Who was involved in MFoN 2023?

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, City of Trees, Action for Conservation, The Conservation Volunteers, Manchester Museum, Canal and River Trust, Lancashire Peatlands Initiative, The National Trust, The Mersey Rivers Trust, Mums for Lungs, Northern Lily CIC, Communitree Outdoor Education Ltd, A Mind Full of Trees, The South Pennines Park, Plantlife, Manchester Friends of the Earth, Manchester Metropolitan University, Calm At Work, Ceebee Gold Foundation International, Wild Awake Mindfulness, South Lancashire Bat Group, Idaraya Life CIC, Standard Practice, Lingua GM CIC, Manchester City Council and Heaton Park.