A SOMERSET teenager has won a £2,500 grant to grow her innovative Black2Nature and Camp Avalon programme which aims to increase diversity in the nature sector.

Bird prodigy and activist Mya-Rose Craig, known as Birdgirl, from the Chew Valley will receive the bursary from insurer Zurich UK, following a competitive application process.

The 18-year-old will also benefit from one-to-one mentoring and guidance on securing additional funding from Zurich’s sustainability experts.

Mya-Rose, who recently staged a one-woman climate change protest in the Arctic during an exploration trip with Greenpeace, will use Zurich’s grant to grow her Camp Avalon nature camps project.

The nature camps are held in Somerset for inner-city teens from deprived and Visibly Minority Ethnic (VME) backgrounds to help overcome the barriers they face in accessing good quality green spaces and the natural environment.

The aim is to connect teens with nature, enabling them to enjoy the many physical and mental health benefits and also encourage greater diversity in the environmental movement.

The camps engage attendees by making nature relevant to them and through VME role models. Participants have the opportunity to get up close with wildlife and take part in activities such as birding, mothing and nature sketching and photography.

With Zurich’s bursary, Mya-Rose will be able to fully fund and run the first five-day nature camp for VME teens from deprived areas of London next Summer.

She said: “Many teens from deprived, VME communities have never visited the countryside or had the opportunity to connect with nature - never seen a cow or sheep before. I believe everyone should have equal access to nature and the many benefits its brings.

"That’s where our camps come in. We get teens interested and inspired in nature by making it relevant to them and their lives.”

“Over the next three years, I’m looking to increase the number of camps we run, with a target of organising 25 camps a year by 2025. It’s ambitious, but with Zurich’s support I’m now already able to start plans for our first camp for London teens and will be seeking their expertise on securing additional funding streams to deliver on our goal.”

The 18-year-old was invited to apply for one of two bursaries made available to those who were panellists at Zurich’s first Youth Against Carbon Conference (YAC Con) in October. The conference aimed to provide young people with a platform to get their voices heard in the climate discussion and highlight the essential role young people are playing in the fight to protect the planet.

Mya-Rose was approached to join the panel due to her huge contribution to the climate change movement. She joined a six strong, all youth panel who debated some of the most pressing environmental issues from the war on waste, conservation and fast fashion to climate change education and climate justice, at the virtual conference opened by Energy Minister, Kwasi Kwarteng MP.

Laura McAlpine, Head of Sustainability at Zurich, said: “It’s young people who are powering climate change action. Through YAC Con we wanted to not only get young voices and opinions heard, but also reward those who took part by giving them an opportunity to apply for a bursary to further progress their eco-initiatives. Mya-Rose’s project and growth plans really stood out to the judges. We’re excited to see where our funding and consultancy will take Black2Nature and Camp Avalon in the coming months

The second bursary was awarded to 17-year-old eco- entrepreneur, Lysander Bickham from London. Lysander will use his grant to grow his eco-friendly subscription service – Leo’s Box, which provides consumers with monthly boxes containing natural and plastic-free household products. The company aims to fight the war on waste and protect the planet by by reducing single use plastics and the use of toxic chemicals.

Following October’s conference, Zurich is now finalising a YAC Climate Change Action Plan, outlining panellist’s recommendations on the action they believe government should take to combat the climate crisis. Zurich intends to champion the plan within government to influence and inform future climate policy.