No Mow May Movement Beyond The Garden

This is a FREE event with the option to make a donation if you wish to.
It’s No Mow May time again and we’re thinking beyond the garden…

This time of year, many amazing people are letting their gardens grow longer in May and beyond, helping wildlife like bees and butterflies. But it’s not just gardens with the power to help nature. There’s so many grassy areas in our communities with the potential to give nature the boost it deserves. In fact, some museums and libraries have been leading the charge to help nature and transforming their green spaces into biodiverse havens for wildlife.

Tune in to hear how Museums Galleries Scotland, the British Library and National Museums Scotland are championing No Mow May by combining longer grass with nature connection in communities. From enhancing visitor experience, creating wildlife spaces for people without gardens and showing environmental leadership – these cultural spaces will share how putting the mower away doesn’t just help wildlife, but also breathes new life into their work.

Meet the speakers:
Lucy Neville is a Museum Development Manager for Climate and Nature at Museums Galleries Scotland. She is passionate about helping museums find their climate story, connecting audiences to the land and sea through heritage, and planning resilience for the future of the Climate & Nature Emergency. Lucy’s background prior to this role was in environmental education and lifelong learning through museum collections.

Katherine Blamire is Head of the Living Knowledge Network (LKN) at the British Library. LKN is a Network of 30 library authorities across the UK. Through a programme including exhibitions, live streams and events the LKN works to enhance meaningful engagement between libraries and their communities, increase access to culture, collections, and information and support library staff. Katherine is passionate about libraries as important spaces for sharing culture and supporting healthy and connected communities. LKN’s most recent exhibition, Unearthed the Power of Gardening, engaged over 800,000 people.

Ashleigh Whiffin is Curator of Entomology at National Museums Scotland, where she is responsible for the care, curation and development of the insect collection, containing approximately 2.5 million specimens.  This active collection is used for vital biodiversity research and education, as well as being a source of inspiration and reference for artists. Ashleigh is a keen science communicator and is passionate about disseminating entomology and the value of collections, to the wider public. She primarily shares her love for insects through public talks and social media, but has also featured on BBC Winterwatch, Gardeners World and the One Show.

Katie Cameron is based in Wiltshire and is Collaboration Manger for Plantlife, a new role in the communications team to expand how we work and who we work with, and to reach exciting new audiences. Katie studied art and french at university and after working in a UK gallery and then in events for a short time in Hong Kong, joined plantlife 15 years ago initially working in the membership team before joining the dynamnic communications team to work in press and media.

At the end of the talk there will be an opportunity to ask questions. 

This talk will be recorded and a link to the recording will be sent within ten days after the event  to all those who have registered.

This event is free of charge, but there is an option to make a donation if you wish to.

Many thanks

Plantlife Membership Team