News / charity
Championing nature, nurture and new beginnings
A Bristol-founded, nature-focused charity is marking its fifth anniversary — a milestone rooted in an idea born during the pandemic, when anxiety and loneliness were on the rise worldwide.
The Birch Collective was co-founded by Ro Fry, Tim George and Amy Cox. Ro and Tim are not only co-founders but also partners in life, Amy a long-time friend. And together the trio found a spark of inspiration that led to the founding of The Birch Collective.
It was grounded in the belief that nature could be a lifeline for those struggling with their mental health.
Bristol24/7 recently visited their hub on Strawberry Lane, just a 10-minute walk from Church Road in Redfield. It is hard to imagine such a secluded, foliage-wrapped space so close to the hustle and bustle of Church Road. Hidden among neighbouring allotments and winding paths, the site feels worlds away.
We met the team on a Thursday — the day they usually welcome young people aged 16 to 25 to get their hands in the soil, tend the allotment, or simply sit together afterward to share a moment over a freshly brewed cup of tea.
It was quintessential winter weather: fine rain getting in your eyes, low clouds hanging with a lugubrious solemnity. Hardly the sort of day you would expect to lift anyone’s spirits.
But my sentiment was not shared by my host. As she sat down beside an empty fire pit, she spoke about the Birch Collective’s extraordinary journey — from its humble beginnings during the pandemic to securing £270,000 of National Lottery funding this year.
The Birch Collective was founded on the back of the pandemic by Ro Fry, Tim George and Amy Cox
Birch Collective was built on the belief that nature can ease anxiety and loneliness. For co-founder Ro Fry, the idea behind the Birch Collective is quite simple: people have become too disconnected from the natural world.
“Our biology isn’t designed to live this far apart from nature,” she says. “We talk about ‘getting out into nature’, but we are nature.”
Ro’s own experience fuels the work. Growing up in Norfolk, she found refuge in the outdoors during difficult times. “I didn’t always feel accepted by the humans around me,” she says. “But in those wild spots, I could show up however I was — nothing judged me.”
During the pandemic, Ro, her partner Tim, and friend Amy Cox were all working in youth services when lockdown shut everything down. They created a six-week nature-connection course to help isolated young people structure their days.
It was so successful that participants wanted something ongoing, leading to Fresh Air Thursdays, a weekly session for 16–25-year-olds focused on gardening, outdoor skills and simply being together. The no-phone policy is always welcome: “People are relieved when we say that.”
There is no time limit for joining or leaving. “Some stay for two months, others for years,” Ro says. “This community is here for as long as someone needs it.”
The Birch Collective was founded in the belief that nature could be a lifeline for those struggling with their mental health
After searching for a suitable base, the team found a quiet, underused garden in Redfield. Staff and participants have gradually transformed it — cutting back brambles, planting new spaces and building an A-frame shelter over nine months.
“Hundreds of people worked on it,” Ro says. “It’s become a symbol of what this community can create.”
Become a part of Bristol24/7’s Better Business network
The Collective has since expanded to Recoupe, a programme for over-18s that also operates in Troopers Hill, where the team now manages 12 acres of woodland for the city council. It offers conservation work, biodiversity projects and a pathway for those who have aged out of the youth sessions.
The team consists of six people altogether including the three co-founders. Other key people in the cohort include James Broadley, marketing & communications coordinator; Harri Symes, operations manager and Luke Murray, facilitator.
This year brought a major breakthrough: a £270,000 National Lottery Reaching Communities grant spread across three years.
“It’s the first time we’ve felt financially secure,” Ro says. “Now we can think creatively instead of constantly fundraising. And it shows how powerful nature-based projects are finally starting to be seen.”
Ro explained that the Birch Collective runs a wide range of nature-based programmes for young people, beyond Recoup and Fresh: there is an annual steering group for 18–25-year-olds. That group helps shape how the charity spends its money and designs its programmes, and is now being formalised into a paid Young People’s Board that will work alongside the charity’s professional board.
She also highlighted Seeding Change, a nine-month programme that begins and ends with residential camps and includes monthly meet-ups focused on nature connection — designed in response to young people who struggle most during the winter months.
View this post on Instagram
The Birch Collective also works closely with local organisations. Each year, the team runs a three-month Forest School programme for City of Bristol College’s ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) department.
“Last year we worked with around 70 young people,” says Ro.
“Many of them are new to the country, and for some it’s the first time they’ve learned that it’s actually safe to walk in the woods here — in their home countries it can be dangerous because of wildlife. It’s one of my favourite projects.”
They recently completed a six-week nature-connection course with Southmead Hospital’s head injury treatment unit, designed to support people recovering from brain injuries. This course holds the distinction being the first time the NHS has funded an intervention like this for head injury patients.
The charity also partners with green social prescribing services, with the NHS commissioning one-to-one nature-based sessions for individuals who are not yet ready to join group activities.
“Some people need a gentler starting point,” Ro explains. “And after that one-to-one time, many are able to move into our groups. It’s a way of easing people in and helping them feel confident enough to get involved.”
Hidden among neighbouring allotments and winding paths, the site feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Church Road
This year alone, The Birch Collective has supported around 260 young people through Fresh Thursday (increased from 192 last year), and demand continues to grow — bringing with it the need for more space and funding.
Even so, the team looks to the future with a blend of quiet confidence and pragmatism, grounded in an unwavering belief in the power of nature. Over the next five years, they hope not only to secure sustainable funding but also to find an ideal five acre site to help their work flourish.
Soon a group was due to arrive, and it was time for us to say our goodbyes. Tim and Amy headed back into the field to continue their work, while Ro set off for her next appointment.
“Our biology isn’t designed to live this far apart from nature. We talk about ‘getting out into nature’, but we are nature,” said Ro Fry, co-founder of The Birch Collective
Find out more about The Birch Collective and how you can support their work. Bristol24/7 will be supporting The Birch Collective for the next year with marketing, volunteers, editorial coverage and more.
Become a member of Bristol24/7 to support our work with charities and our projects to create opportunities for young people and amplify marginalised voices.
All photos: Milan Perera
Read next:
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
