Bristol charity awarded £220k funding for mental health programme

The service runs therapy sessions in Eastville, Hartcliffe, Stockwood and Withywood
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Bristol mental health charity Your Park has been awarded £219,265 from The National Lottery Community Fund, to expand its unique in-nature therapy service.

The funding will enable the charity to expand ‘Roots to Wellbeing’ across Bristol, making it a leading green social prescribing programme in the West Country.

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The service will support over 200 people with complex mental health conditions through weekly in-nature therapy sessions in Eastville Park, Hartcliffe Millennium Green, Stockwood Open Space and Withywood Park.

The charity will also create city-wide volunteering opportunities with park groups.

Sara Laking, Health and Community Lead at Your Park Bristol and Bath, said: “This funding will make a significant difference to how many people we can support through our Roots to Wellbeing. We want to continue providing an oasis of calm amongst the stress of life and help more people unlock the health benefits of nature.”

The funding will benefit people with a range of conditions, from depression and anxiety, to schizophrenia, Asperger’s and PTSD.

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The sessions welcome everybody, from people seeking asylum, to those who’ve recently lost a loved one, or to people who have left the care system or prison.

One participant said: “I have been off work this week due to sickness and I have been starting to worry about many things including money. I have never grown anything from seed, but watching these little green shoots spring up has given me so much joy and made me feel better. It brings you back from worrying about things and reinforces that the simplest little thing can bring joy.”

Evaluation of the charity’s Roots to Wellbeing pilot programme has been wholly positive, with results showing that 100% of participants felt happier after taking part.

The pilot programme was launched by Your Park Bristol and Bath in 2022 and sessions have taken place weekly in Eastville Park and Hartcliffe Millennium Green, with activities ranging from meditations to leaf prints. To date around 43 people have taken part.

To find out more visit www.yourpark.org.uk

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