The Winner of our 2023 #WildFreeLBBD competition is Vai Meng Chan – who’s gorgeous photograph features a Great Crested Grebe fishing in the morning ‘magic hour’. This image corresponds perfectly with this year’s theme ‘From Dawn ‘til Dusk – The Magic of Light in Nature’ as the tiny droplets of water appear like stars in a night sky. Congratulations Vai Meng!
His winning photograph features on the February page of our new 2024 Calendar which can be downloaded below and printed at home.
Once again, the quality of entries was extremely high, making it really tough for the judges to select the final images. Well done to all those who were shortlisted to feature on the calendar and thank you so much to everyone who entered this year. We hope you enjoy the calendar – and visit your local parks – throughout the coming year.
Download the 2024 calendar here:
Now It’s Your Turn!
Show us your wild side and connect with nature in Barking & Dagenham’s parks throughout 2024.
We will be opening up the next round of the competition in early 2024, so watch this space for more news on the theme, and you might even be lucky enough to have your photo featured in the 2025 calendar!
#WildFreeLBBD Competition Rules
- have fun! Get outdoors to explore and enjoy nature in the borough’s many beautiful parks and open spaces
- stay safe – always tell someone where you are going and be aware of your surroundings at all times
- always respect nature and wildlife
- act responsibly and have consideration for the needs of other visitors
- competition photographs must have been taken in parks within the borough of Barking & Dagenham
- photographs taken in previous years can be submitted. Please indicate when and where the photograph was taken.
- the overall winner will be voted for by a panel of judges
- the person who takes the winning photo will receive a prize and the shortlisted images selected by the judges will appear in the Wild & Free LBBD Calendar for the subsequent year
- you can enter up to a maximum of five photos per competition year
- the closing date for entries is midnight on 31st October
Events
The Rangers Service offers a programme of #WildFreeLBBD activities throughout the year for all the family, including pond-dipping, minibeast-hunting and guided walks in some of Dagenham’s loveliest parks.
Check our events page to see when these exciting outdoor activities are taking place.
The Ranger Service in partnership with TinderSticks will help you, whatever your age, have an amazing outdoor adventure through our wide range of bushcraft and nature immersion activities right here in Dagenham!
TinderSticks aims to get more people outdoor confident as they see the positive impact the outdoors has on mental & physical wellbeing and so they want to give the whole community an opportunity to enjoy it.
Free activities
Awe Walk – Take 15 minutes out of your day to find something to be amazed by in nature and enjoy a boost to your mental wellbeing
Den Building – On your next outdoor adventure, why not make a den or debris shelter for your favourite toy?
Feeding Signs – Be a detective and study the clues & signs animals leave behind. Find out who has been eating what in the woods around you
Fieldcraft – Bored of just seeing animals run away from you? Learn some cool fieldcraft techniques to get closer to wildlife without being seen
Leaf Bingo – Leaves produce food for the tree. They come in many shapes and sizes. How many different leaves can you spot on your next outdoor adventure?
Conker Shampoo – It’s conker season, what do you do with yours? Instead of leaving them to go wrinkly why not try making conker & coconut shampoo!
Scat Spot – This is definitely a ‘look don’t touch’ activity! Can you find any animal scat (poo!) whilst out in the woods?
Minibeast Hunt – On your next outdoor adventure why not have a hunt for minibeasts?
Previous winners
The Winner of our 2022 #WildFreeLBBD competition was Shirupa Aktar – who’s beautiful, golden-hued photograph features a stunning yellow-leaved tree in Mayesbrook Park against a blue sky, which the judges felt this really captured the essence of the theme ‘The Beauty of Trees through the Seasons’. Her winning photograph features on the September page of the 2023 Calendar.
The winner of our 2021 #WildFreeLBBD competition was Martin Buckley – who’s amazing image of a kestrel in flight catching a dragonfly astounded the judges. His winning photograph features on the July page of our 2022 calendar which you can click on and download below, as well as the 2021 calendar.