Features / LGBT Bristol
Foraging group empowers queer community
In Bristol, members of the LGBTQ+ community may struggle to find people with both shared identities and similar interests.
However, over the past few years, some new community groups have formed.
One of these is Nature Queerdos, co-founded in 2022 by clinical psychologist Jen Attwood and arts facilitator and professional forager El O’Connell.
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The group was born out of their shared passion for foraging, nature and creating space for queer people.
The group offers creative foraging workshops which include: fermentation, sap tapping, safely and sustainably preparing herbal medicines, green woodwork, mindfulness and collective outdoor cooking.
Nature Queerdos run a variety of workshops
Jen told Bristol24/7 that one of Nature Queerdos’ core values is accessibility.
Jen said: “A majority of our events are wheelchair accessible, which is very unusual for a foraging group.
“We have bought tools such as grabbing tools, for people with limited mobility.”
El added: “We want people to come as themselves.
“We encourage people to express their access needs. We then work to accommodate them.”
The founders of Nature Queerdos have seen attendees get more interested in nature as a result of the workshops
Foraging workshops can be expensive but Nature Queerdos operates on a not-for-profit basis, with sliding scale tickets and free options so no-one is turned away for lack of funds.
This is because the group’s founders recognise how important foraging can be.
El explained: “Our attendees tell us how their everyday lives have been transformed.
“They can walk along a hedgerow and identify a number of plants. It helps them feel more connected to nature.”
Jen added: “People told us they were in a real rut, disengaged with food, and foraging helped them change this. Some tell us they use plants to help treat their own health issues.”
The group works to accommodate a range of access needs
The group is driven by its community and encourages anyone with relevant skills or ideas to get in touch.
Jen and El hope to eventually increase the frequency of their events and offer weekend retreats.
In the immediate future, Nature Queerdos will be offering a foraged ink workshop, with queer natural ink artist Ione Maria Rojas, on Saturday October 5.
There are other planned workshops on foraged cosmetics, natural dyes and underwater photography.
Jen said: “If anyone has something they want to do, we encourage them to tell us.
“We want to be a platform for queer artists who focus on nature.
“Consider this a call out for queer artists that use nature in their practice.
“We’d love to see how we can work together.”
Nature Queerdos can be contacted via Instagram or Facebook.
Tickets to upcoming workshops can be purchased through Headfirst.
All Images: Nature Queerdos
Read next:
- Kiki Bristol on representation, uncomfortable conversations and its final ever event
- A creative community for queer people of colour
- Bristol’s first female councillor to be elected whilst openly trans
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