Winter solstice is this Saturday, 21^st December, a meaningful day which marks the shortest and darkest day of the year and welcomes a new solar cycle, with more sunlight moving forward. Hooray! Even though winter embodies cold and dark days, in nature the seeds are buried in the earth, patiently waiting for the sun to bring warmth and light to welcome new beginnings and brighter days. It’s an ideal day to reflect, set intentions and recognize the continuous cycle of life, growth and renewal.

Winter wellbeing ideas

• Take a walk around an Avon Wildlife Trust nature reserve and look for signs of wildlife, breath in fresh air, take in stunning views and appreciate the natural beauty around us. You can of course do this in your local green space as well! Winter wellbeing can be noticing the nature around us.
   
• Stephanie in BS9 puts out suet or fat balls in the winter. They come as blocks, balls and pellets. Lots of birds like suet and it provides a vital source of energy for them, especially in the winter months.
   
• Do nothing in your garden or community space and help wildlife! Log and leaf piles are beneficial for insects and therefore birds and other small mammals. Leaving seed heads can provide shelter for the many minibeasts in your garden. Insects can use the stems of seed heads to hide themselves and their eggs. If you want to help our feathered friends, you’ll be pleased to hear that some birds can also munch on seed heads. It’s not always easy to find food in winter, so this will definitely be appreciated! 
   
• Tom and Jeff, Somer Valley residents, have taken direct action to improve their community for people and wildlife and improved their own wellbeing. By using their passion and skills in carpentry they have built hedgehog houses and bat boxes, giving wildlife a helping hand whilst bringing their neighbours together  They have enjoyed these community events so much there are now plans for another community workshop to make wren and robin boxes, as well as fairy doors to be decorated by families and installed as a trail in their local woodland. Doing something to benefit the community makes a huge difference to wellbeing and brings people together.

Taking action for nature is a great way to embrace winter wellbeing. This can be done alone or as part of the community. Team Wilder is a movement of people who notice, care for and celebrate nature in their day-to-day lives. Be part of Team Wilder and help make taking action for nature a social norm, everyone should enjoy the benefits of being surrounded by nature. It takes the global problem of biodiversity loss down to a super-local level. How we manage the space around us is key. We want to increase wildlife corridors and nature recovery networks so wildlife can breed, travel, feed and shelter. Collectively, these small actions make a big difference to nature, our neighbourhood and our own wellbeing. 

Visit Team Wilder for more inspiration!