Milly Kennedy, a 40-year-old tutor at The Henley College, has dedicated herself to toad conservation for seven years, volunteering with a group that helps thousands of toads cross Marlow Road to their spawning pond each year. The road can be hazardous for the amphibians, and Kennedy’s group plays a vital role in keeping them safe from traffic.
Kennedy, who already has a collection of tattoos, decided to add a unique design to her body art as a tribute to her passion for toad conservation. She visited tattoo artist Joshua Addley at Hart Street Tattoo to get a 5cm line drawing of a toad, complete with dots on its body, inked on her right forearm. The design took only about half an hour, marking her eighth tattoo. Other tattoos in her collection include a phoenix, a heart, flowers, and her son Ethan’s name.
“For three months of the year, patrolling is a lifestyle for me — I love it,” Kennedy explained. “Tattoos aren’t for everybody, but I’ve got quite a few and piercings as well, so it’s a way for me to express myself aesthetically. The toad tattoo was something I had wanted for a long time, and I thought it would be a meaningful way to commemorate that part of my life.”
She was pleased with the warm reception from her fellow volunteers. “I thought I’d look like a nerd with my toad tattoo, but everyone liked it and said how fantastic it was,” Kennedy said. “It’s important to me because it raises awareness of how vital these creatures are. They’ve been making their journey for thousands of years, but now we have busy roads. The least we can do is help them safely cross.”
Kennedy’s interest in the toad patrol started when she was a child in Marlow. She remembers asking her mother about the people with buckets who were out on the road during the toad spawning season. When she moved to Henley a decade ago, she contacted the local group and joined right away.
For Kennedy, the experience of helping the toads is incredibly rewarding. “Toads have no defense mechanism, so helping them cross the road is such a fulfilling experience,” she said. “It’s good for my mental health, it’s great exercise, and I’m helping nature — it’s a no-brainer.”
Her toad tattoo is a lasting reminder of her commitment to the cause and her deep appreciation for the creatures she works to protect.
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