Start your day the wild way on Tuesday 1 June with butterflies and bagels; worms and waffles; toads and toast for the UK’s biggest nature challenge. The Wildlife Trusts invite the nation to join the Big Wild Breakfast, a new outdoor celebration to kickstart 30 Days Wild.

The annual 30 Days Wild challenge from The Wildlife Trusts has had more than a million participants to date – a record 650,000 people took part in 2020 alone. Every year, people sign up to do a ‘random act of wildness’ every day for 30 days in June. Popular activities include listening to birdsong, taking wildlife photographs and planting wildflower seeds. 30 Days Wild is proven to boost your health, happiness and sense of connection to nature.

In 2020, a five-year review of 30 Days Wild participants, run in conjunction with the University of Derby, found that people reported they felt happier and healthier from taking part, with positive effects lasting for up to two months afterwards.

Leanne Manchester, The Wildlife Trusts’ digital manager, says:

“One million people have enjoyed 30 Days Wild from The Wildlife Trusts so far and it’s still growing! We’re utterly thrilled that our annual nature challenge has become so massively popular and our research with the University of Derby shows how keeping it wild for the whole month of June will make you feel happier and healthier. What could be better than making time for yourself and connecting with nature for just a few moments of your day? It’s fun, free and easy – and after such a challenging year, we’ve never needed nature more!”

Mya-Rose Craig, the ornithologist and campaigner known as Birdgirl, says:

“I’m a big fan of 30 Days Wild – I love being part of the surge of enthusiasm that emanates from everyone involved! Get creative and find 30 new ways to be inspired by the beauty of the outdoors and nature or be entertained by trying out new nature activities. It is especially important if you live in the city as nature is all around, just waiting to be found. I really want to try sketching a bird this year and I can’t wait to kick-off my wild June with the Big Wild Breakfast. I plan to take out my bowl of Shreddies, alongside my binoculars which are always by my side, and enjoy a bit of garden birding while I munch.”

Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, says:

“We’ll be getting outdoors for a Big Wild Breakfast in the garden on 1 June, to kickstart our family’s own 30 Days Wild. If the past year has taught us anything it’s that people need more nature in their lives and much more of it on their own doorstep. At The Wildlife Trusts, we know there’s a huge public appetite for more contact with nature. We want to see neighbourhood nature everywhere for people to enjoy – from wilder community spaces and urban meadows alive with wildflowers and native grasses to healthier hedgerows, hedgehog superhighways and glorious nature-friendly gardens.

“30 Days Wild is an inspirational reminder to explore nature in June, to value what we’ve got, and to demand more action to restore our natural world. We need to give people easier access to the kind of vibrant, life-affirming wildness that they deserve. That’s why The Wildlife Trusts have launched our 30 by 30 appeal – to raise £30m to help protect 30% of land and sea for nature’s recovery by 2030.”