We’re about halfway through our Write the Wilderness walks, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund made possible thanks to National Lottery players and The National Forest Arts Grant. For the past few months we’ve taken people out into the countryside around Derbyshire, offering them time and space to create away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
With that in mind, we thought it was a good idea to take a look back at the first chunk of the walks with one of our participants. Nilam Wright is a well-being comedian, born and raised in Derbyshire, who has spent a decade living abroad. She recently returned to the UK and found the Write the Wilderness walks through Facebook. As a child, Nilam's sibling used to call her feral because she loved being outdoors. As she got older, life got in the way, but she still yearned to be outside.
The idea behind the walks was to foster a deeper connection between people and the nature around them, giving them a chance to create in spaces where they might not normally get the opportunity. We asked Nilam to tell us a little about what she found when she was participating in the walks
“I have found inner sanctuary whilst being out with people and having the sense of freedom. As a woman it's difficult to be out in public and not be approached, being in a group you're still approached but you feel safe. So just that sense of freedom, that's one thing. It's really difficult to articulate. I got magic. I found myself writing places that I would never have dreamed of writing due to being inspired by prompts and the enthusiasm of the facilitator.
“I've got a collection of poetry written in beautiful places inspired by other poets and I have a sense of grounding, a sense of being within a community and just hearing other people's creations being read at the end of the sessions. It's just beautiful.“
It’s not just the places that have been inspiring, it’s also the other people on the walks, and the feeling of community created by sharing the experience with them.
“My favourite part is meeting and walking and being with other creatives, where usually you'd meet indoors, sitting down, and for somebody with my headspace, being outdoors and the sense of freedom has been just what my inner child needed.”
There are still plenty of chances to get involved with the Write the Wilderness walks, and you can click here to get more information about when and where we’re running the next ones. We’ll give the last words to Nilam, though. Here’s what she said when we asked her what she’d say to someone thinking about coming to Write the Wilderness.
“Just go. If you've got the time and you like being outdoors, just go. It's a community, a safe space, where you're free to be. And it's up to you whether you share or don't share. The facilitators have got your back. And they're so attentive. It’s been the highlight of my year.”
Commenti