Bumble is a volunteer-run, biannual magazine that focuses on the beauty of nature whilst highlighting the wonderful wildlife we are surrounded by in the UK.
Bumble focuses on particular species that are struggling and gives simple advice on how you can do your bit to help. We also feature local and international artists that take inspiration from the natural world. We aspire to create a simple, straight-forward publication that offers viewers of all ages a chance to engage with nature, whilst educating them on the importance of the natural environment. We wanted to allow any reader — regardless of prior ecological knowledge — to read, understand and immerse themselves in the world around them.
Ultimately, it’s for everyone to enjoy, just like nature itself!
I came up with the idea for Bumble whilst I was a trainee for the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. As part of my traineeship I was given a project brief to try and engage the younger generation with wildlife.
I began looking at current Wildlife magazines for inspiration and found myself reading magazines such as National Geographic and British Wildlife. I am dyslexic and have always been fascinated by wildlife but found myself really struggling to read these magazines, over faced by the amount of scientific words, graphs and data. Of course, this type of magazine is great for so many people, however for me it was very hard to read.
I started thinking it would be nice to create a magazine that was accessible to all, easy to understand and that really demonstrates how exciting nature can be. And this is why I created Bumble. I want it to be a magazine for everyone, a magazine for people who have an interest in Wildlife but do not necessarily have too much previous knowledge. I want it to encourage people to get outdoors, explore and to really highlight the beautiful wildlife we are blessed with within the UK.
Rachael Nellist Editor-in-Chief
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With Bumble we wanted to combine thoughtful editorial content with strong photography and beautiful illustrations. We wanted to put the natural world and the environment at the centre of the publication and to showcase the beauty inherent in every aspect of nature.
Early on in this project we decided not to include adverts in the publication, fearing they may distract from the design and overall ethos of the magazine. Bumble’s innate charm is further enhanced by the focus on its own environmental impact: the magazine is printed on 100% recycled paper using vegetable-based inks, and we have also made sure to use no plastics in the packaging.
Sitting alongside a growing number of outstanding wildlife-based magazines and books, we hope to form a community of publishers and nature lovers, focussed on bringing wildlife and the environment to the forefront of all our lives!
Josef Shaw Creative Director