Across the UK, more and more people are losing their connection with nature.

Pause for a moment. Think about the last time you heard birdsong on a morning walk, watched butterflies dance among wildflowers, or simply stopped to take a breath of fresh air. Perhaps along one of the Network’s traffic-free routes? For many people, these experiences are becoming less common.

This is due to wildlife habitats being under pressure, green spaces are disappearing, and too many children are growing up disconnected from the natural world. Today, the UK remains one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.

But nature is essential for our health, our wellbeing and our world.

The National Cycle Network already helps more than four million people enrich their lives by walking, wheeling and cycling. We want to give more people the opportunity to easily access and experience nature close to home.

With over 12,700 miles of routes stretching across the UK, the Network connects people to woodlands, waterways, parks, countryside and urban green spaces. For many communities, it provides one of the easiest ways to experience nature as part of everyday life.

But there's so much more we can do.

With your support, you help make routes greener, restore habitats and help communities care for their local environments. You could help create places where wildlife can flourish, and more people can enjoy the wellbeing benefits of spending time in nature.

Sometimes you only realise the importance of things once they're gone.

The story of the Padiham Greenway (Route 385) in Lancashire has proven this and can show what is possible.

When part of this much-loved route was closed for safety reasons in 2021, local people lost an important connection.

Connection to their community. Connection to nature. And they lost a part of what made their home, home. This is what Tanya shared, a local resident, who felt the loss deeply.

Five years later, after massive repairs and improvements, working with our partners, we were able to safely reopen the route.

Just as the path reopened, Tanya was recovering from surgery, and it came at a time when she needed it most. She said:

“The Greenway opened just after my surgery. Not having an accessible, flat place to walk was my biggest challenge at first.

"Without it, my recovery would have been much harder. It allowed me to rebuild my confidence, step by step.”

Today, the Greenway remains an essential part of her daily life. “Being surrounded by nature is grounding.

"The Greenway gives me a quiet place to walk, clear my mind and decompress. If I didn’t have access to it, I’d be a different person, much more stressed. It’s become an essential part of my everyday life.”

The reopening also sparked more change; Wild About Padiham, a project working with the local council, helping more people connect with nature on their doorstep.

Deepening connections with our natural world

As part of this project, we helped to provide a range of free activities for people to explore Padiham Greenway, allowing more people to connect with nature while also improving biodiversity on the route.

Locals took part in activities like wildlife walks, seed ball making, tree planting and building butterfly boxes. Getting the community involved has helped people of all ages discover wildlife, plant wildflowers and care for the place they love and call home. Projects like Wild About Padiham help nature and people.

Your gift could help do the same for more routes on the Network- bringing people and nature back together.

We all have a responsibility for a greener future.

We're working towards an ambitious goal: reconnecting one million more people to nature by 2030.

Your support could help make this happen.

You could help make the Network greener so more people can experience nature, improve their wellbeing and feel connected to the world around them.

Because everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the health, happiness and connection that nature brings.

Make a gift today and you could help create greener routes, enrich habitats and stronger connections between people and nature.

Donate now and you could help reconnect more people like Tanya to nature.

Your kind donation won’t be restricted to a single project. We’ll use it where it’s needed most, helping us achieve our charitable goals and make the greatest possible difference with your support.