And with the first signs of spring beginning to appear on Hampstead Heath, we thought it was the perfect moment to celebrate the women who help care for and champion our green spaces – both here at Heath Hands and across the Heath more broadly.
Spring is a season of renewal and growth in nature, and it also offers a chance to reflect on how our communities grow and change.
The outdoors is for everyone, but not everyone sees themselves represented there. Women are still underrepresented in the outdoor and environmental sector, holding around 30% of jobs across the industry.
At Heath Hands, we’re proud to be helping shift that balance.
We are a female-led organisation, with our chair Rachel Chapman and treasurer Sarah Williams leading our trustee committee (which is 60% female).
Women also make up the majority of our staff team (70%), contributing to every aspect of the organisation – from hands-on conservation work on the Heath to project management and community engagement.
Our volunteers are equally vital to this work, and we appreciate the many women who generously give their time and enthusiasm to help protect and care for the Heath.
They take part in everything from digging ditches and ecological monitoring to leading walks and running nature activities for the public. If you’re interested in getting involved, you can find out more about volunteering opportunities at: heath-hands.org.uk/volunteering-opportunities.
Beyond our organisation, we’re fortunate to work alongside many inspiring women across our partner organisations on the Heath, including gardeners, managers, rangers, zookeepers, and educators who care for these landscapes.
As spring arrives and the Heath begins to burst back into life, we hope you’ll come and meet some of the staff and volunteers who make this work possible.
The Heath is looking stunning at this season, with the magnolias and daffodils coming into bloom in more formal areas, such as the Hill Garden and Kenwood, blackthorn in blossom in the hedgerows and flowers like lesser celandine and wood anemone blooming in the woodlands.
After a winter break, our Heath Info Hut will reopen on Saturday, March 21, followed by the Dairy Nature Interpretation Centre on March 28 – why not pop by and pick up a spring flower ID sheet or a map of the Heath to help you explore.
Our volunteer wildlife interpreters will also be out on March 15 and 21, and you can join our (female-led!) Spring Ramble on March 28. Full details can be found at: heath-hands.org.uk/whatson.
