Nature4Health

The ‘Getting to Know You and Nature’ creative walks were the first outdoor face-to-face project during lockdown. These walks were crucial to help residents of the new build ‘Foundry Wharf’ to meet their neighbours and explore their new area in confidence. This group, known as the Happy Wanderers, is predominantly focused on bringing people together and being creative within nature through photography, poetry, and verbal description. These skills help individuals express how they feel within nature and therefore build an important connection within themselves and with each other.

“I’ve made new friends and getting back out into nature has been so interesting and relaxing. It’s been soothing to see so much beauty around us on our weekly walks.” – Happy Wanderer Participant, 2022

Inspired by their photography taken on the group’s Getting to Know You and Nature walks, the Happy Wanderers and their group deliverer, Chris, collectively selected some of their favourite images taken of the nature on their doorstep. These images were taken to The World of Glass in St. Helen’s where each participant could choose their own glass feature and its design. Varying shades of grass, vibrant flower petals and skylines, textures of tree bark and ripples in water have all influenced the unique designs of these glass works.

“I have loved that the nature around us has now been turned into a piece of glass that I can keep in my flat as a reminder of our time together but also to motivate me to get out and explore more.” 

Participants were able to choose between a personalised glass vase, coaster, bowl, paperweight, swan, or robin; whichever they felt would tell their story best. One participant chose a bowl and used a sunflower as her inspiration. Another created a glass paperweight that represented a bundle of tangled weeds.

Over four visits, the Happy Wanderers had demonstrations at the World of Glass and full control in the design process. After each participant had created their own piece, the group designed 130 pieces of bespoke art, each signed ‘Happy Wanderers Project 2022’. These were gifted to each resident in Foundry Wharf at a cream tea event in the building’s bistro.

“I like that the glass I helped design is of a swan, as I can look out of my flat window and see the swans and their young ones on the canal.  It’s also nice to know that even those that didn’t join us for the walks have benefited by receiving a special piece of glass that reflects the nature around us. Not everyone is able to go on the walks, but we have brought a bit of nature into their homes.”

This allowed more residents to know of the Nature4Health walks, and more importantly brought some people out of isolation.

“I was very lonely when I moved here and then with the pandemic, I felt very isolated. This project has helped me mix with more people. I’ve walked and talked, and most importantly having a laugh every week has lifted my spirits. The people I have met have helped make it feel like home again.”

As a result, six more residents have since shown an interest in joining the Happy Wanderers group for the next 12-week programme. If you would like to join or find out more, please contact Clare Olver or explore our website for more Nature4Health activities.

Foundry Wharf is a residential block for ages 55+ located in St. Helens, and is home to the members of one of our Healthy Walk groups. Healthy Walks are a way to get people of all ages and abilities more active and connected with nature.

Chris, who runs the group, encourages members to take photos when walking, specifically focusing on colours and textures that can visually demonstrate how that person may feel in the space. This allows participants to be creative and mindful if they wish to be, or they may just want to take a nice photo of their surroundings. The images within this blog were all taken by this group on their local walks.

As Foundry Wharf was a new development complete during the pandemic, many residents joined the group to meet people. Some lived alone, whilst others were carers and hoped to find a place where they could be themselves.

“This group has given me back my identity and it has made me much more active. I wouldn’t go out for walks before alone, but now I have people to go with.”

“We’d never met as a group before but after starting the walks we have the confidence to approach others”

“I first started a bit apprehensive but now I have great friends.”

“I used to be very shy but now I’m much more relaxed, feel chilled out and share connections with others.”

The group became so close over time, that they gave themselves the name “the happy wanderers”.

“We have a community room we meet in after the walks. We’re all on the same level despite being a mixed group.”

As well as making friends, some group members also learned new skills, whilst others re-engaged with them.

“I used to enjoy photography but lost my passion, but these groups have helped me get back into it. I love taking pictures and being creative now.”

Participants also expressed how they feel closer to nature now as well as other people.

“Nature has been a huge part of making this enjoyable. I notice things a lot more now, I’m much more aware of my surroundings.”

“It’s a brilliant group, we’re still going to be friends in the future with more talking and walking!”

Healthy Walks are a great way to reduce isolation as they bring people together. Walking is also one of the best forms of exercise and is known to benefit both the mind and body. However, if walking doesn’t appeal to you but you’d like to connect with people and nature a different way, the Natural Health Service has many other activities that you can get involved with for free. For more information on this, check out our activities section here https://www.nature4health.org.uk/?page_id=5!

All quotations used are from “The Happy Wanderers”, Dec 2021.

The last few months of 2021 introduced a new project at the La Salle Kitchen Garden in Croxteth. Our partners at Faiths4Change who run these Nature4Health sessions saw a need to help educate the garden’s participants further on how to use the fresh produce collected. This is known as the ‘Plot to Plate’ group.

This new group of 7 participants worked together on both managing the garden and learning new skills together. With a growing confidence in gardening and strong rewards of fresh fruit and veg, there was often lots of good produce harvested. At La Salle, there is a huge variety of produce despite the size of the garden and team who work on it weekly. This includes beans, onions, brassicas and even melons!

The aim of the ‘Plot to Plate’ group was to enable more participants to feel confident in cooking with this fresh food. So far, the group have created and shared 11 plant-based meals, all made from the produce they have harvested together. This has encouraged the group to learn new skills such as cooking, weeding, overwintering crops and making compost. ‘Plot to Plate’ has also encouraged the group to be more adventurous with food by inventing their own combinations, and feel more connected with where their food comes from.

As well as adopting a taste for healthy, plant-based recipes, the group have also benefited socially. One participant hoped for a local activity to fill their free-time, whereas another, who had recently moved to Liverpool, aimed to meet new people and find a near-by hobby.

Attending to La Salle Kitchen Garden has enabled a diverse mix of individuals to become friends. This has particularly benefitted two individuals who have bonded over the unfortunate event of losing a loved one recently. They now enjoy meeting outside of the group too.

The future is bright for this small yet brilliant group, with one member adopting a ‘Plot to Plate’ plant-based recipe book using photos taken from each session.

If you would like to meet new people, adopt a healthier lifestyle or simply fill your time, sessions at La Salle take place each Wednesday over the course of 12-weeks between the hours of 12:30 – 3 pm. The next course is due to begin in February, 2022 although a current course is presently ongoing.

We’re always looking for new participants so why not join for the new year! Sessions are completely free and require no experience in either cooking or gardening! Please contact Elizabeth via email at Elizabeth.Mason@merseyforest.org.uk or Rhianna at Rhianna.Weston@merseyforest.org.uk for more information or if interested.

Our Nature4Health programme aims to improve our participants’ lives. Whilst we may not be able to solve everything, we often hear of and see our participants’ successes, whether this be an improvement in their social life or their health and fitness. However, some participants have even found new careers after attending our groups.

Having recently accepted employment at St. Michael’s garden, Crystal shared her success story with us.

Crystal began her adventure with a few potted indoor plants. Despite the many struggles most of us face when caring for plants, Crystal persevered and taught herself some tips and tricks.

Yet with a growing interest in gardening, and a passion for self-sufficiency and sustainability, Crystal decided to reach out to Myerscough College where she was first introduced to St. Michael in the City. Many other participants attend Myerscough College with Crystal, and St. Michael’s has given them all a space where they can put their new skills into practice.

Impressively, Crystal now manages to work three jobs: each fitting an interest of hers. However, she has just taken on the role of Creative Projects Worker at St. Michael’s to challenge herself. Crystal chooses to tackle everything with positivity, and collaboratively running the weekly sessions has made her feel happier, as well as a sense of achievement.

Crystal describes the garden as a wonderful place full of laughter and stories, where strong relationships are created.

“There really is something magical and compelling about the garden and the kind of people that it attracts.”

Like most of us, the importance of connecting with others is no longer over-looked and is greatly treasured.

“The pandemic has had some sort of effect on everyone, and during lock-down people found ways to keep busy. For some, gardening was a way to handle that stress, to stay present and to find gratitude. People started re-evaluating their lives. The garden has bought so much joy. It is a place to share and laugh, and that is priceless.”

Other than benefitting her health and wellbeing, Crystal has learned new skills, and continues doing so the more she works at St. Michael’s. Other volunteers are now great friends of hers, and they all help one another with various tasks in the garden, from building plant beds to crop maintenance.

“Being around people who share the same goal and ideas, what’s not to love? My mental health comes first, and I already try and do different things to help with that: yoga, meditation, guitar. The garden was just an add on bonus which aided to that; a special haven bang in the middle of the city!”

Why not see for yourself how getting involved can benefit you? Check out our website’s ‘Get Involved‘ and ‘Activities‘ sections for more details!

In the Baltic Triangle, Liverpool, great progress has been made at St. Michael in the City’s community garden. This group is led by our partners at Faiths4Change, and is proudly funded by The National Lottery.

St. Michael’s is another great example of how beneficial our programme can be to so many individuals; not to mention how beneficial you all are to our Nature4Health Programme!

Bertha has attended St. Michael’s garden since June, so is fairly new to the group. Despite this, Bertha has always lived in the area, and once worked as a Sunday school teacher at St. Michael’s church.

Now retired, Bertha decided to find a new hobby to fill her time and meet new people. Her previous career as a mental health support worker showed Bertha how spending time in green space can vastly improve your wellbeing.

“I saw the benefits it had on others when I used to take my group to a community garden in Walton. I thought it would help me too.”

Bertha couldn’t believe the paradise that was on her doorstep.

“It’s the best thing I’ve done! It gets me up and out of the house, and I’m genuinely excited to learn new things and see my friends each week here at the garden. We always have a good laugh.”

Like many of our participants, Bertha has seen great improvements in multiple areas of her life after joining the group. After all, it’s never too late to meet new people, learn fresh skills and improve your health!

If, like Bertha, you’d like to take on a new hobby and live in either Merseyside or North Cheshire, please contact Clare Olver via Clare.Olver@merseyforest.org.uk for more details on our various volunteer groups. There’s something for everyone!