Out into the wild - how nature helps mental health and wellbeing

Inside Salisbury: Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and Wiltshire Council create a joint wellness project for men.

By Annette J Beveridge

TIME spent in nature has been proven to heal and instil a sense of calmness into life so a joint project will enable men to join a new series of Wellbeing in Nature.

A free initiative - the aim is to improve wellbeing through nature-based physical activity and to help men to develop strong social networks. The sessions will be adapted depending on the interests of those attending and will include hiking, bush craft skills, and woodwork. Stress management techniques will also be used.

The Salisbury course will begin on Saturday, October 26 and will run for more than 12 weeks.

Course leader at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Dave Turner, said: “I can clearly remember the first time the group met at Trowbridge Train Station, a group of individual men who’d never met, all looking quite nervous, apprehensive, and scattered around the car park, gradually one by one approaching the minibus.

“It was so fulfilling to see their individual journeys throughout the 12 weeks, as their confidence and self-esteem grew, as we exposed them to a variety of nature-based activities, including whittling, willow craft, campfire cooking, poetry, wildlife walks and mindfulness, the purpose to equip them with tools and strategies for helping improve and maintain their own ‘mental health’.”

He continued: “Personally, for me it was really satisfying and warming to see them start to support each other and start to form bonds, and to see those ‘lightbulb’ moments when you see them light up with a smile across their faces! I feel that through this programme we have made a truly positive impact on individuals’ mental health and provided them with the means to continue that ‘recovery’ journey throughout their daily lives, as well as forming new friendships which will hopefully enable them to continue to support each other beyond the programme.”

To attend either course, men must be aged between 20 and 59.

Cabinet Member for Public Health, Councillor Ian Blair-Pilling, said: “It’s great that we’ve been able to continue working alongside Wiltshire Wildlife Trust on such an important initiative.

“The programme provides participants with the knowledge and practical tools they need to improve their mental well-being, and the support to create new habits to encourage positive behaviour change – which is why this is a great first step for those who are struggling.

“We want this programme to be as accessible as possible which is why one of them will run on a Saturday, to help remove a barrier for those who work during the week.”

He added: “I would encourage those who find it hard to talk about their mental health to sign up and attend, it’s a safe and supportive environment.”

For more information, visit https://www.wiltshirewildlife.org/men’s-wellbeing