Ingrid is an experienced outdoor educator and avid tree enthusiast with a particular interest in growing and nurturing trees. With 10 years of experience leading forest schools in the East End, Ingrid has established multiple outdoor education hubs that enable children and their families to connect with and better understand the natural world within the city.

Her deep love for trees and extensive background in outdoor education drive her work at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve. As the Forest Friday Lead, Ingrid plays a crucial role in fostering a connection between urban communities and nature. Her programs are designed to inspire and educate, helping participants develop a greater appreciation for the environment and the importance of trees in urban settings.

Abel grew up helping on his family farm, where he developed a fascination with the natural world. His early experiences nurtured a deep appreciation for nature and instilled a lifelong passion for ecology. In 2022, Abel joined our team as an ecology intern, working on the Mycelium Ecologies Project. During this period, he gained extensive knowledge about mushroom cultivation, focusing on applications for food, medicine, and ecological health. His hands-on experience and dedication allowed him to contribute significantly to the project’s success. 

Abel is committed to enhancing ecological research and promoting community learning. As Deputy Site Manager, he plays a vital role in maintaining the Reserve's diverse urban ecosystem and actively engages with local communities that visit our site. His work ensures that the Reserve remains a thriving environment for both wildlife and visitors, fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of nature in the community.

Edward oversees the day-to-day operations of the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve, ensuring it functions as a thriving community and ecology hub. With a strong background in technical education, Edward spent the past five years as a technical coordinator at Central Foundation for Boys Secondary School, where he taught young people essential skills in woodwork, metalwork, and construction.

Recently, Edward undertook a woodland management course, further enhancing his expertise in ecological stewardship. His commitment to community learning and engagement is evident in his efforts to shape learning programs focused on woodland care within the Nature Reserve.

Shilpi is a dedicated Kindergarten and Forest School practitioner with a passion for nurturing children's connection to and confidence in the natural world, especially within urban environments like the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve. As a mother of five, Shilpi brings a wealth of personal and professional experience to her role, emphasizing the importance of nature in child development.

Shilpi enjoys baking and fruit picking, hobbies that complement her commitment to hands-on, nature-based learning. Her approach to education fosters a deep appreciation for the environment among young learners, helping them to explore and understand the natural world around them. Through her work at the Reserve, Shilpi is instrumental in creating meaningful and enriching outdoor experiences for children, laying the foundation for lifelong environmental stewardship.

Izzy is a foraging teacher, storyteller and weaver, and runs a foraging project called Rights For Weeds. She has been teaching foraging at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve for four years. Izzy’s primary interest as an educator and artist is to build non-linear and non-hierarchical learning environments, which facilitate communion with the land.

As of 2024, Rights for Weeds is beginning a residency at the Phytology medicine garden in the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve. Izzy will be drawing on her learnings from time spent with the plants, foraging students, the BGNR community and from her own research. She’ll be devising a programme which integrates learning and management practises, nurturing both the garden and its users.

Ash is a local resident and talented urban farmer who has been establishing food growing spaces across the neighbourhood estate for decades. As the manager of Bethnal Green Ecology Garden, Ash oversees the day-to-day care of the garden and supports local food growers throughout the year. He has a particular talent for creating welcoming community growing spaces that nurture a rich diversity of vegetables, especially crops from the Southern Asia.

Michael is an artist and the creative director of Nomad Projects, an independent arts foundation known for developing experimental projects in both digital and location-specific spaces.

His work focuses on blending cultural activities with ecological and social health, creating projects that aim to connect communities with the natural world found within the city.

Naseem  (11 August 1939 – 8 June 2017) was a British journalist, activist, cultural historian and educator who was influential in effecting policy change about cultural diversity. She wrote a report entitled The Arts Britain Ignores in 1976, which was the first major study highlighting the integral part played in UK culture by black and Asian artists, and also that year she founded the Minority Arts Advisory Service (MAAS). 

As a journalist she was one of the first theatre reviewers for Time Out magazine, and later wrote regularly for publications including the New Statesman, The Guardian and The Independent.