As Sir David Attenborough prepares to mark his 100th birthday, some of Britain’s best-known charities — alongside adventurer Bear Grylls — are urging the public to celebrate his extraordinary legacy by doing something practical for nature.
From 5–8 June, people across the UK are being invited to take part in The Big Help Out and The Big Lunch, two major community initiatives coming together for the first time in what is expected to be one of the country’s biggest celebrations of volunteering, connection and local action.
Eight major organisations, including the Eden Project, RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts, Butterfly Conservation, CPRE, The Conservation Volunteers, Canal & River Trust and the RSPCA, are backing the campaign. Their message is simple: even the smallest action at home can help wildlife recover.
Inspired by Sir David’s lifelong devotion to the natural world and his recent BBC series Secret Garden, the campaign encourages people to look at the spaces around them — gardens, streets, parks and neighbourhood corners — as places where nature can be protected and restored.
Ideas include planting wildflowers for bees and butterflies, building bug hotels, creating hedgehog highways between gardens, letting lawns grow longer, making small ponds, joining citizen science projects or simply choosing to walk or cycle instead of driving short distances.
The call comes amid growing concern about the state of UK wildlife. Britain is among the most nature-depleted countries in the world, while gardens form a huge hidden network for wildlife, supporting more than half of the UK’s butterflies and over 40% of bird and mammal species.
Bear Grylls said: “As an adventurer, you soon learn that the great outdoors gives us everything—challenge, perspective, and life itself! It connects us to nature, and to each other. Now it’s our turn to have fun giving something back.”
He added: “That’s why I’m encouraging everyone to join in with The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out on 5-8 June! It’s your chance to get outdoors, get stuck in, get your hands dirty, and do something positive for nature and your community.”
The Eden Project will also mark its 25th year by launching its first ever flower count across its outdoor gardens, inviting the public to help record how plants are responding to climate change.
Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project, described the vision as “a world of gardens without borders” and urged people to think big while acting locally.
He said: “Imagine a moment where people all over the country created corridors for wildlife to create the largest reserve in the country. Can you imagine such an outrageous act of generosity and encouragement to the natural world?”
He added: “If you love wildlife, set it free – gardens without borders. Acting local but dreaming big – its ordinary people who will make the difference, do something bold for nature and join in on 5-8 June!”
