Springwatch for the housebound

With BBC Springwatch entering its tenth year, it means I have been a faithful viewer for exactly half my life. Having first seen Mr Bill Oddie racing through the British countryside when I was still in junior school, the show went on to inspire me to spend the next decade of my life watching wildlife, as it has for thousands of others. But today, as I lie at home recovering from severe illness, the show means even more to me now than it did ten years ago.

Undoubtedly Springwatch has had a huge impact on our society. Recent social research conducted by Bournemouth University highlighted the "recent phenomenon" of “Post-Springwatchers” in wildlife tourism. Defined as “individuals whose interest in wildlife has been kindled, or re-kindled, by the media, and in particular popular television wildlife programmes” they found 32% of all trips to nature reserves (where the studies were being conducted) were prompted by nature broadcasting. 

For most of my teenage years I would have fallen into that category, as I stomped through natures reserves sniffing the honeysuckle, chasing the grasshoppers and munching on blackberries. Now, though, wildlife tourism is no longer possible for me. If the survey was repeated today, I wouldn't have been able to contribute. 

In March 2011 I was diagnosed with a severe long-term illness. Then not only could I not continue with my studies, or my sports, I physically couldn’t get outside anymore. I couldn’t sit in the car to be driven to any reserves, I couldn’t walk round the parks and I could only occasionally make it out into our garden to lie down.

But in May that year, when Springwatch danced onto our television screens, it was as if the natural world was opened out for me again over three glorious weeks. As well as looking forward to the main show, I could also listen to SpringwatchExtra and the live feeds from the remote cameras on Red Button. It was wonderful, as if I had been reconnected to a refuge; I found solace and comfort from these images of nature again.

I have found no survey undertaken to estimate the number of people in the UK that suffer from being housebound, as yet. But with Springwatch’s vast online presence (#winterwatch was trending on Twitter within the hour of this year’s first live show, the Springwatch Facebook page has over 100,000 “likes” and the Flickr site is one of the largest in the world), I found there were many others like me - those who loved nature, but couldn’t get out into it.

Instead, I saw here the extent of the gratitude from other Springwatch fans who are ill - including one gentleman who has the same illness as me (though he contracted it in his fifties). They comment on how the show is “compulsive viewing”, and that it “would be hard to overstate” how much joy and hope the series bring them. For those that can’t get out - whether due to illness or disability, age or circumstance - Springwatch, and its extended family, allows us to remain connected to the natural world and it is, I believe, particularly important it continues to inspire these people.

So, this year, sit down to watch Springwatch. Get interested, get inspired, and then get outside and become a “Post-Springwatcher”. But do save a thought for those of us who can’t join you out there - and remember how much the show must mean to us.

By Elizabeth Guntrip, aged 20

For resources and information on accessible nature try these links:

• Direct Enquiries Nationwide Access Register of nature reserves
• Accessible nature trails via the MS Society
• Visitwoods.org.uk - guide to best trails
• WWT accessibility - a guide

To suggest additional resources, pleaes leave a comment below.