Flock Together turned one of its monthly walks into a Macmillan Coffee Morning with a difference
Arriving at a Flock Together meetup, you instantly know you’re in good hands. “This is the ultimate safe space,” says organiser Ollie Olanipekun, welcoming the 120 or so attendees to today’s walk at Trent Country Park in Enfield, London. Binoculars are handed out for those who don’t have them, as are raincoats, and people chat so enthusiastically that Olanipekun has to speak up to be heard.
Flock Together is a black-led birdwatching collective that runs monthly walks in and around London to help foster connections with the outdoors and bring people of colour together. Olanipekun explains that nature has had a profound impact on his mental health. “I have ADHD so my mind is super active. When I was introduced to nature, and specifically birdwatching, it was the only place I felt absolute peace.” Knowing that mental health can be a taboo topic in black communities and other communities of colour, Olanipekun and co-founder Nadeem Perera saw a chance to help. In 2020, Flock Together was born.
Flock Together co-founder Ollie Olanipekun (top right) says that nature has a profound impact on his mental health