People’s Plan for Nature: actor Cel Spellman urging Manchester residents to have their say about wildlife

Manchester residents are being encouraged to have their say on the future of nature and wildlife in the UK as some of the country’s biggest conservation charities are running a consultation.

The People’s Plan for Nature has seen the National Trust, RSPB and WWF join forces to gauge the public’s opinion on the future of our countryside and wild places. Residents are now being urged to take their final opportunity to give their views before the survey closes on Sunday (30 October).

A special People‘s Plan for Nature tree is currently on display at Manchester arts centre HOME to give people the chance to express their thoughts in the form of idea leaves. And Manchester-born actor, activist and presenter Cel Spellman, who is also a WWF ambassador, is encouraging people to take part.

What is the People’s Plan for Nature and what has been said about it?

The People’s Plan for Nature brings together three of the UK’s leading conversation charities, the National Trust, the RSPB and the WWF. They have joined forces to ask the public what they think about the future of the countryside and our wild places.

Polling results released in September revealed that 80% of UK adults living in the north west believe nature is under threat and that more needs to be done urgently to protect it. The People’s Plan for Nature allows people to share their ideas of what they love about nature, what they think needs to happen so nature can thrive and discuss examples of nature-saving projects happening right now across the country.

The survey, which can be found at the People’s Plan for Nature website here, closes on Sunday (30 October) so residents are being urged to take advantage of their last chance to fill it out. The organisers say that so far more than 15,000 people have submitted responses. You can also head along to HOME, the well-known Manchester culture hub, until Sunday as there is a People’s Plan for Nature tree there and ideas can be written on leaves as part of the massive consultation exercise.

The engagement with the public doesn’t end with the consultation, though. The People’s Plan for Nature will next host the UK’s first ever People’s Assembly for Nature which will take place over four weekends between November 2022 and February 2023. This will bring together a broadly representative group of 100 people from across the country.

The responses to the survey and the results of the citizens’ assembly meeting will then form the final People’s Plan for Nature which will include recommendations for local and national government, food and farming businesses, non-governmental organisations, communities and individuals.

What has Cel Spellman said about the People’s Plan for Nature?

Residents in Greater Manchester are being urged to have their say by Manchester-born actor, activist and presenter Cel Spellman, who became a WWF ambassador at the age of 15. Alongside his career, Cel enjoys planting trees at the weekend and dedicating time to working with a number of charities.

Cel said: “The People’s Plan for Nature gives us a rare opportunity to unite and bring about desperately-needed change for our natural world. We have all turned to and appreciated nature like never before in the last few years. For me, spending time immersed in the natural world is my medicine, it’s good for the soul, body and mind. Yet the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.

“Nature needs us now more than ever, and this is the time for us all to stand up, take action and use our voices to protect and restore our precious wildlife species, ecosystems and environment. Together we can make a real difference.”