About Us

Hello, I'm Rachel

I’m the person behind Buttercup. I’m a mum, an educator and an animation lecturer and the one who makes most of what you’ll find here.

Buttercup began out of my own garden studio, out of something I needed and couldn’t find. I’ll tell you the whole story, because I think it matters that you know a real person is behind the boxes and the printables.

Meet Rachel – the person behind Buttercup

How it began

I grew up outdoors. My mum studied environmental science to become a primary teacher and my dad was an amateur wildlife photographer, so noticing things — birds, weather, small creatures — was just how our family paid attention to the world. That freedom to explore gave me confidence as a child and it’s the thing I most want to pass on.

I trained as an illustrator and animator, specialising in children’s book illustration. Some of my early nature animation was recognised by BFI New Talent. I’ve taught everywhere from primary classrooms to university. But the work that pulled at me hardest arrived when I became a mum.

My daughter has always had a voracious appetite for the natural world. I went looking for resources to feed that, factual, nature-based things, not just storybooks and couldn’t really find them. So I decided to make them myself. And so Buttercup was born.

Why Buttercup is built the way it is

There’s another reason Buttercup is the way it is. My daughter is neurodivergent and traditional classroom settings often haven’t met her needs. We’ve recently flexischooled, to give her more space to learn in ways that feel safe and make sense to her.

Like a lot of neurodivergent children, she comes alive when learning is interest-led, sensory-aware and connected to real life. That’s shaped everything I make: resources designed to bend around the child and around your week, low-prep and sensory-friendly and just as usable on a low-energy day as a good one.

I’ve also spent years watching university students arrive with less confidence and more anxiety than they used to. It’s made me believe in the quiet things that nature and unhurried learning can give a child early on — curiosity, steadiness, a sense that the world is theirs to explore.

Everything here is made by people

My illustrators, Grace and India, draw every activity sheet, box and print by hand. I fact check everything manually. It’s slower and it costs more, and I wouldn’t do it any other way, because I think you can feel the difference and because the children it’s for deserve it.

The people behind Buttercup

Everyone here was chosen for the same reason: real skill, and a genuine love of nature and the environment.

Grace Spalding
Illustrator
Grace grew up in the countryside around Stratford-on-Avon and has an inherent love of nature and the outdoors. Having graduated with a first class degree in illustration, she originally worked with Buttercup as an intern before joining the team as a freelance creative. Grace has developed illustrations for books, our British wildlife themed boxes, our website and blog, as well as Buttercup’s e-learning platform. All of our beautiful art prints feature her stunning artwork.
India Foulkes
Illustrator
India creates the artwork for our free activity sheets, social media and blog visuals, and subscription box content. A university friend of Grace’s, India came highly recommended—and her Procreate skills, quirky character work, and nature-loving creativity have become a big part of the Buttercup aesthetic.
Rishal Patel
Podcast and video editor, P.A
Rishal manages our Curious About Nature podcast and supports day-to-day operations. With skills in editing, admin, and digital management, and a passion for eco-tourism and mental health, Rishal also shares his own story in Season 1 of the podcast.
Hester Heeler-Frood
Article Writer
Hester is a freelance writer and filmmaker who has supported us with blog articles and educational content in our first few years. Her passion for the natural world and belief in the power of storytelling to inspire change is a perfect fit for the Buttercup ethos.