As the world celebrated International Social Prescribing Day yesterday, doctors, medical professionals, and community link workers are increasingly looking to nature to help improve the health and wellbeing of patients and Kent Wildlife Trust are providing an avenue for this initiative through their ‘Take Root’ project.
Studies show that connecting with nature can have significant positive impact on individuals – reducing stress levels and anxiety, and improving self-esteem and resilience.
People with easy access to nature are three times more likely to be active, and 40% less likely to become overweight, which in turn can reduce the risk of other diseases and illnesses, such as diabetes and some cancers. And because it works, an increasing number of health professionals are joining up with community and voluntary sector organisations, such as Kent Wildlife Trust, to offer social prescriptions as an alternative, or in addition, to other traditional approaches; helping individuals to improve their health, wellbeing and social welfare by connecting them to community services.
As the county’s leading nature conservation charity, Kent Wildlife Trust is well-placed to offer nature-based social prescribing opportunities. Their current ‘Take Root’ project based at the picturesque Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve offers six week programmes and mindfulness walks that immerse individuals in the natural world, enabling them to connect with wildlife and meet new people – both of which are shown to improve mental health and wellbeing.
The programme follows the Five Ways to Wellbeing principle, which inspires individuals to Connect, Take Notice, Be Active, Give and Keep Learning, and engages individuals in a range of activities, from wildlife watching and photography, to practical, hands-on wildlife-friendly gardening and conservation tasks.
In addition to the many health and wellbeing benefits, individuals taking part in social prescribing projects with Kent Wildlife Trust can also enjoy the ‘feel good factor’ that comes from knowing they’re helping the charity to create a ‘Wilder Kent’.
And these projects are sustainable too. A recent study carried out by The Wildlife Trusts movement as whole, found that every £1 spent on Wildlife trust projects for participants with low wellbeing, showed a £6.88 Social Return on Investment.
To find out more or to join the project, visit: kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/get-involved/our-projects/take-root
