Birmingham’s leading nature expert Chris Millward notched up 150,000 steps over four Sundays of “baton walks” celebrating 20 years of the Birmingham Open Spaces Forum charity with the city’s “unsung heroes.”
The last of four August baton walks took place on Sunday as Chris, co-founder of Team4Nature, rallied a small army of volunteers including esteemed Brummie historian Professor Carl Chinn and Professor Paul “Mr Birmingham” Cadman, CEO of the One Thousands Trades Group (OTTG).
“The fact that I will have walked around Birmingham for four Sundays at pace with the baton and still have only reached less than a quarter of the BOSF membership demonstrates the sheer scale of this movement that contributes so much to the city and its people,” said Chris.
“By raising awareness of the great work carried out by these open space volunteers, who are our unsung superheroes, the hope is that more people of all ages and backgrounds join the movement.
“As well as creating a cause for great celebration whilst collecting memories and milestones from the last 20 years, the anniversary baton also symbolises hope for the future of Brum.”
Joining Chris for his walk through Cannon Hill Park in Edgbaston will be Professor Paul Cadman, CEO of the One Thousand Trades Group.
“Chris is a true leader whose passion for nature is infectious,” said Paul.
“What Chris does is meet people where they are. He doesn’t blind you with science or try and guilt-trip you. Instead he draws people’s focus to the beauty of nature and the tangible benefits of spending time in nature, which are free to us all if only we’d step outside and see it, savour it and take it in.”
OTTG was among a group of local firms which funded saplings planted by BOSF volunteers and its associates.
