By The Green Parent
19th February 2021
Historically, International Women’s Day for me was about celebrating women in developing countries, their incredible triumphs over things we would take for granted such as making a living for their family. I even got to meet a few of them in their homes. My roles for overseas charities and my mixed heritage made travel easy back then, I honestly didn’t think twice about the implications of visiting The Nile, The Sahara, Patagonia. Adventure often came hand-in-hand with a plane flight.
Fast forward ten years, and I sit overlooking the twinkling lights of Bristol, with both of my children tucked up in their beds, and we are in our third lockdown of a global pandemic. The world has changed. And not only in this sense, environmentally we are far more aware, we can’t make the same decisions we always have done, some of us are looking closer to home for the next challenge that awaits us. And some of us don’t want to do it alone.
And it was on these foundations that She Can Do Wild was born, an idea buzzing between two women, high on a Welsh mountain top late at night, excited conversation that went on well into the night, with just the moon to light us and our tents keeping us dry.
Being with other women, being in nature, sharing a new experience, learning from each other, sharing an understanding of values and dreams - this is what we feel is important in the modern world. Walking together, talking together, demonstrating a skill, watching, learning, trying it out. Making food together, sharing stories, learning practical skills. Feeling comfortable, outside your comfort zone. Feeling challenged but at home. Making new friends. Freedom. Pressing the pause button.
Something wonderful happens when you put a group of women together in the outdoors, you just have to take the brave step out to find out what.
So while I still want those women to be championed, I would also like to bring into the spotlight… You. And me. And all the other women we know. Our friends, our peers, our mothers, sisters and our daughters. Those close to home. We deserve to be celebrated just as much as they do.
Info
She Can Do Wild is a project created by women, for women. Co-founded by storyteller/expedition leader Pridie Tiernan, and chef/entrepreneur Holly Perreau-Redfern in May 2020, we run outdoor events across the year, currently in the Southwest of England, in which women of all ages can come together and increase their confidence in the great outdoors through campfire cookery, nature walks, stories, natural crafts and sleeping under the stars.
Instagram @shecandowild Facebook/shecandowild
Tickets available at https://www.thewildofthewords.co.uk/shecandowild (scroll to bottom for ticket link)
