Many of the greatest challenges that all humans will face both now and in the future will involve managing the world’s environmental crisis. Encouraging an appreciation of the natural world is a vital part of rising to these challenges and it is my belief that getting people excited about the plants and animals that inhabit our planet will lead to them making different decisions about how they lead their lives. 

The outdoors and wildlife have always been a big part of my life. I grew up in the Leicestershire countryside, and was fortunate enough to free-roam around our village making dens in hay bales, playing endless hours of ‘Pooh Sticks’ and paddling barefoot in the brook. A more recent ten-year stint in South Africa cemented my love for wildlife and opened my eyes to the pure magnificence and diversity of our wild world. 

Over the last few years, I’ve come to realise just how important an appreciation of our natural world is; the healing power of nature was paramount in getting me through my cancer battle and since having my daughters, the need to protect our wild spaces, and to motivate others to do the same has never been felt more keenly. Starting a nature-based business was almost inevitable.

Birda was founded in 2017 based on a shared goal to help people experience the natural world so that they'll fight to protect it. Our mission is to encourage as many people as possible to enjoy our environment, from beginner birdwatchers to avian addicts. Birda is a fun and inclusive birding app for anyone who is curious about the living world. At its core Birda provides a free, easy-to-use tool for logging the birdlife around you, including GPS-enabled mapping, gamified challenges, badges, community species suggestions and more. Like 'Pokemon Go' but with birds, in real life. All you have to do is head out and look up. By keeping a record of what you’ve seen, and when, you’ll be helping bird conservationists to gather the vital data they need to protect a myriad of bird species.

Partnering with The Wildlife Trust to host the ‘3 in 30 Days Wild Challenge’ for their #30dayswild campaign is not only a privilege but aligns perfectly with our ethos and mission - in fact we’d already built a “Days Wild'' count into the app's user profile page in recognition of its importance! And it is features like this that make me really excited about Birda’s future. The app is about more than just birdwatching, it’s about connecting with nature in a broader sense and at the same time connecting with a community of like-minded people who might not fit the “typical birder” profile. You don’t even have to have been birding before to use it! And we’re putting a lot of thought into creating features that will enrich every birder’s journey from a helpful species guide to location-based life lists for those special places that you visit.

Whilst we are just at the beginning of our Birda journey, in my nearly 40 years I feel like I’ve come full circle. I’m back in a Leicestershire village, now watching my children taking delight in our natural world - from the rabbits and foxes that live in the field next to us to the daily visits from our resident Great-spotted Woodpecker. My only wish is that in another 40 years time, there'll be enough wild animals and places left for their children to be doing the same. And if Birda can play a small part in helping to achieve that then my heart will rest a little easier.