Your Park Bristol & Bath – Park life nurtures green shoots for mental health
Your Park Bristol and Bath uses parks in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset as a catalyst for social change, enabling people to access green spaces, and the potentially life-changing health and wellbeing benefits that go hand-in-hand. A UK leader in green care, it is one of just five parks foundations in the country and the only one in the South West.
The charity focuses on providing outdoor wellbeing programmes designed to improve mental health, as well as partnering with local communities to create and maintain natural habitats, supporting the recovery of nature and contributing to the Ecological Emergency Action Plans. Through its connection with Bath and Bristol Councils, Your Park Bristol and Bath works to redevelop parks through community gardening sessions and volunteering, and now has over 3,000 people using its services each year.
Covid had a huge impact on people’s mental wellbeing, resulting in a poorer quality of life and in turn putting them at risk of further health problems.
The charity’s ‘Roots to Wellbeing’ initiative was conceived as a nature-based health and wellbeing support group in Bristol to tackle this, and bridge the gap through Green Social Prescribing in parks.
“Green social prescribing” is the practice of supporting people to engage in nature-based interventions and activities to improve their mental and physical health. Green social prescribing could include local walking schemes, community gardening projects and conservation volunteering.
In this group programme, participants are guided to foster a deeper relationship with nature, through walks, gardening and simple nature-based creative and craft activities. Led by a psychologist and three mental health nurses, the sessions also focus on reflection and mindfulness exercises to support mental health, as well as meeting other like-minded people.
In February 2024 the charity received a grant of £3,000 to support the cost of the Roots to Wellbeing programme, which also included providing lunch and community transport to remove financial obstacles from attending for those most in need.
In total, 89 people with complex mental health conditions benefitted from attending the weekly sessions in Eastville Park, Hartcliffe Millennium Green and Stockwood Open Space. Each session incorporated a therapeutic group check-in before participants took part in 30 nature-based activities designed to support good mental health. The sessions took place in six-week blocks, with each person benefiting from up to 18 sessions. After completing the programme, participants were directed towards support pathways back to community life through nature-based volunteering services.
Six previous Roots to Wellbeing participants joined the programme as regular volunteers. Their experience of taking part had improved their confidence and led them to feeling that they could regularly help others.
After attending the programme, 92% of participants said they felt happier and 71% felt more hopeful, while nearly 75% said they continued to use what they learned in their day-to-day lives.
As well as offering space for people to be supported, find connection and improve their mental health, the sessions have also had a tangible impact on biodiversity and the quality of the parks. The activities included the planting of wildflowers and bulbs, litter picking, protecting and mulching trees, harvesting fruit and generally looking after spaces. With the parks looking more beautiful and cared for, it is hoped that local people will make the most of the spaces, thereby encouraging more mental health benefits within the community.
Rich’s story
Rich is a Roots to Wellbeing volunteer who has struggled with depression his entire life. After decades of unsuccessful treatments his doctor referred him to the programme, which he credits as having completely transformed his life.
Rich said: “After 50 years of suffering, I finally felt an acceptance with others and myself. I was amongst people who treated me as a valued equal. This was very healing for me. Every year I suffer with seasonal affective disorder – this did not happen last winter for the first time in my life.”
