Have you ever had one of those moments where nature taps you on the shoulder? Where you make a connection with something wild that stops you in your tracks? The RSPB wants everyone to enjoy moments like these - and it's working hard to create opportunities for people to experience them. It believes that when people care about wildlife, they'll speak up for it.

That's why it works closely with people of all ages, connecting them with nature - encouraging them to enjoy and treasure the natural world.

An appreciation of nature begins at an early age. Children have a natural love of wildlife and, given the opportunity, their interest can grow and remain rewarded for the rest of their lives. Under the RSPB's Living Classrooms programme of school trips, more than 60,000 British children a year are given the opportunity to explore special nature reserves, where they can encounter birds, animals and plants at first hand. Led by experienced RSPB field teachers, these trips not only provide fun and fresh air but they're also linked to the curriculum, so they support work done in the classroom.

For the past five years, as a founder of the Real World Learning Partnership, the RSPB has campaigned for the government to ensure every child in Britain has the opportunity to experience a Living Classrooms trip.

Aren't Birds Brilliant! is a UK-wide project that encourages millions of people - adults and children - to experience spectacular birds at close quarters; from ospreys in Wales or the Lake District, to peregrines in Manchester or the West Country, and much more.

But you don't have to travel anywhere at all to enjoy nature and join the campaign to protect it. Why not discover how to make your own home into a veritable haven for wildlife? Just register with the RSPB's Homes for Wildlife project (www.rspb.org.uk/hfw), and you'll receive easy-to-follow tips for bringing more wildlife into your garden. Over 47,000 people have already signed up, and the more people that register, the more we can help the wildlife that lives close to us.

Why not make an even bigger difference, and help the RSPB as a volunteer?

Thousands of people of all ages, from 16 to over 75, do just that. You don't have to be an expert on birds to help: people contribute in a wide variety of ways, from fundraising to helping out at visitor centres. You can give as much or as little time as you want, and it's a fantastic way of broadening your outlook and meeting new friends.

The RSPB is one of the world's leading conservation bodies. If you want to speak up for wildlife and wild places, why not add your voice to the RSPB's and join a million voices for nature at www.rspb.org.uk/joinus.