Benjamin, is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and producer from inner-city Birmingham. He uses his music to help people understand the value of connection, both with other people and with nature.
More about Benjamin
Benjamin has volunteered his time to support the Force For Nature (F4N) campaign by planning and delivering the festival. Benjamin wrote, produced and created the music video for the song ‘Force For Nature’, which he released in collaboration with the ‘Force For Nature’ campaign. The music video premiered to more than 5,000 children at the festival and has now reached beyond 50,000 streams. Benjamin also produced a musical composition for The Tree Council’s film which has been viewed more than 20,000 times and shared at the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow.
In his role as an ambassador, Benjamin has also supported in the planning and delivery of interactive workshops and assemblies in schools across the UK.
Connection with nature
Benjamin grew up in an inner-city part of Birmingham, with very limited access to nature. He went through a lot in his teens, including dealing with the loss of his father. Benjamin turned to nature for support during these challenging years.
‘’During this period in my life, I saw the natural world as a place of solitude and restoration. A place to seek tranquillity away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Due to this, I became a keen environmentalist, wanting to be a part of a movement that could create widespread change and protect what became incredibly special to me. For me, the Ambassador programme for the Tree Council’s ‘Force For Nature’ campaign serves this purpose perfectly.”
Special moments
- Having the opportunity to use his talents and skills to make a difference.
- Working alongside environmental professionals within the sector.
- Travelling the country giving assemblies and workshops on the F4N Tour.
- Being commissioned to write a song and create a soundscape for a COP26 film.
- Learning skills and knowledge from experts on trees and the natural world.
- To be given the opportunity to gain experience in the environmental charity sector.
“ The USP of the Young Tree Champions Ambassadors is that it unites and brings together young people from all walks of life, utilising their raw talents to inspire the next generation towards caring and doing more for the environment.”
Skills and knowledge learnt
While Benjamin had a base knowledge of environmental climate matters thanks to studying various modules at university, it was during his time as an ambassador that his knowledge of trees and the natural world truly grew exponentially. He cites acquiring knowledge of tree health, the mycorrhizal network, identification of different trees, the importance of hedgerows and more specifically to his time as Tree Council Ambassador.
“ I have become a keen environmentalist. I want to be a part of a movement that can create widespread change and protect what is incredibly special to me. Being a part of the ‘Force for Nature’ campaign run by The Tree Council has been incredible and the difference that I have made as a part of this campaign is beyond what I could have imagined.”
Professional development
“The transition from being commissioned to write, compose, produce and promote a song and music video for the first F4N festival, to getting commissioned to produce the soundscape for the COP26 film and finally, to do the F4N tour across the country has been a blessing. I have put a lot of work into the campaign and being valued financially for my time and quality of work means a lot. It has continued to motivate me to be a part of this programme and the wider campaign. Off the back of the tour and in light of exceptional feedback from teachers and young people across the country, I was offered a freelance role within the programme as an Ambassador Officer. My journey alone clearly portrays that there is a path of professional progression that exists as a direct result of the programme.”
