People and nature: learning through doing was an action research programme which aimed to identify successful approaches to involving people from excluded and disadvantaged groups in enjoying, learning about and caring for nature. Action research is often defined as research done of and by a particular group of people, rather than on and to them – with the aim of increasing understanding and achieving change.

Six community and voluntary sector groups took part in the programme, each undertaking their own action research project to explore what could help people from a range of backgrounds and circumstances to get closer to nature – and the benefits they experienced when they did.

The programme was supported by Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Community Development Centre and ran from Autumn 2009 until Spring 2011.

People and nature: learning through doing 2 Blarbuie Woodland action research report INTRODUCTION Blarbuie Woodland is run by a Partnership made up of lead organisation Reforesting with NHS Highland, Argyll Green Woodworkers Association, the Scottish Association for Mental Health and Community Council. In 2003 it was noted that the Woods around the 150 year-old long-stay had become neglected, under-used, and hazardous – following decades of shrinking numbers of patients and staff - and that they could be restored and enhanced for the benefit of users of mental health services, disabled people, children, and the wider public. Following extensive consultation, planning and fundraising, work began on the ground, and the site was opened in 2007, with all-abilities access, picnic areas and shelters and viewpoints. There has been ongoing woodland management, and focus on wildlife, interpretation, arts, woodcraft, health walks, training and volunteering and job creation. Visits to Blarbuie Woods have risen by several hundred percent in the last six years, and this small but varied woodland is very popular locally and acknowledged nationally.

People and nature: learning through doing 3 Blarbuie Woodland action research report The Scottish Government and the Scottish Community Development Centre sponsored earlier research (2008/09) into ‘The Impact of Walking and Working in Blarbuie Woodland on Mental Health and Well- being’ – which involved the main beneficiaries as interviewers as well as interviewees; the results in report form and power-point and film have been widely disseminated, and have led to important developments in the field of health and woodlands, locally and nationally. This earlier research largely looked into the benefits of being in the woods - with space for people’s ideas and aspirations. This newer research has been about trying to find out what conditions and situations restrict some people’s access to the Woods – where they live or are based in relation to the Woods; how do they find about its accessibility and activities? What can be done to enable greater access and use?

Ongoing evaluation of our work alongside ongoing consultation and research leads us to continually upgrade our provision to match aspirations in terms of access and activity, but this process sets off questions about motivation, awareness and opportunity, especially for some people more isolated, experiencing ill health or disability. We therefore focused on a target audience including people with a wide range of mental and physical health problems and disability, and devised a set of questions to ascertain what barriers there were to visiting the Woodland or being involved in its activities.

People and nature: learning through doing 4 Blarbuie Woodland action research report THE RESEARCH Our Woodland trails and facilities have been designed with all-abilities access in mind, but there is always room from improvement. This potential for improvement was built into the Research, but the main focus of this new Research was on ‘Reaching’ Blarbuie Woodland – how do you find out about it? How do you find out how to get there?

The Target Audience: The people residing in Argyll and Bute (psychiatric) Hospital – long-term and short-term – have been one of the main target groups and beneficiaries of the Woodland, but we wanted to look beyond the Hospital, to other users of health and social services. There are many disabled people in Mid Argyll – people with learning difficulties, people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and other sensory or cognitive or mobility or health issues. The more we delved, the more groupings we found, and Patient User Groups using the adjacent Mid Argyll Community Hospital became an important focus.

The ‘Reaching Blarbuie Woodland’ Questionnaire (see Appendix) was sent to about 34 individuals and organisations in the Mid Argyll area - and slightly outwith Mid Argyll. The and Care and Disability institutions based in and around Lochgilphead cater for people from a wide area – the scattered towns and villages and peninsulas of Mid Argyll, and beyond. We decided upon Mid Argyll as a geographic focus but allowed that there were users of services or projects based in other parts of Argyll with an interest in our Woodland, including the Bullwood group at Dunoon in Cowal – seventy miles away - who have visited Blarbuie Woodland in the past.

People and nature: learning through doing 5 Blarbuie Woodland action research report In our earlier research, users of mental health services had been hands- on involved during the process; this newer research – being more defined in terms of the Questions – has involved a smaller team, including some of the former, but has been supported in facilitation by a wide variety of organisations, most of which were also part of or representative of the target audience, and are listed in the Contacts and Returned Questionnaires list.

The process of defining who would be included in our research was a process of both casting the net wide whilst focusing in closely. Deciding upon the research questions, and how they would be disseminated, was a fairly long and difficult process. We were targeting people with particular health or disability issues, and wanted their own personal opinions, but we knew that we needed the professionals and carers to be involved in the whole process. The Questionnaire that we sent out – by post, by email, by hand – tried to ascertain who was responding on behalf of who, but we also wanted to allow some ambiguity, no clear division between ‘professional’ and ‘user’.

People and nature: learning through doing 6 Blarbuie Woodland action research report Over 34 Questionnaires were sent out or delivered. There was some electronic or other on forwarding by recipients (total unknown). All in all there were 36 returns. We used a mix of tick box and open response options.

The high number of returns is blurred by the unknown number of ‘send- ons’ – but this number of was not great and the vast majority of recipients responded. An important contributor to the high percentage of responses was that the Research Team followed up the sending out of Questionnaires with phone calls or arranged visits, where certain key people within organisations were encouraged to fill in or distribute the Questionnaire. Within the Questionnaire are questions about who is completing it, for whom, for how many? Some responses are from one and one only, some from many. All in all we estimate that about 65 people have contributed to the response. As an extension to the answers gathered there have been contributions made by people during group visits to the Woodland and gatherings in other local venues – as invited to happen within the Questionnaire introduction - the contributors in some cases being those that had already responded through returned questionnaires, and others being newly-inducted into the research, but either way adding another dimension to the research process and findings, through live dialogue.

THE CONTACTS AND RETURNED QUESTIONNAIRES Tarbert Community Garden; Public Health Network; Lochgilphead Resource Centre; Argyll and Bute Council Social Work and Education and Community Development; NHS Highland; Mid Argyll Community Hospital and Practice Nurses; Argyll Supported Employment Team; Neighbourhood Networks; Argyll and Bute Hospital; People and Communities Coming Together; Cardiac Rehabilitation; Dochas Carers; Argyll MS Centre; Encompass; Bullwood Woodlands; GalGael; Carers and Patient Focus Group; Mid Argyll Cancer Care Group; Early Learning Centre; ENABLE; Mid Argyll Community Pool.

This represents a good breadth of the organisations operating in the Mid Argyll area.

People and nature: learning through doing 7 Blarbuie Woodland action research report Questionnaire Results (36 responses)

Q 1) asked if the respondent was aware of Blarbuie Woodland, by the Hospitals in Lochgilphead. 33 confirmed that they were.

Q 2) Have you visited Blarbuie Woodland…?

Q 3) asked ‘If not why not?’ and invited comment, as referred to later)

Q 4) If you have visited, how have usually travelled there…?

People and nature: learning through doing 8 Blarbuie Woodland action research report Q 5) Do you have difficulty…? (in terms of getting to Blarbuie Woodland and/or finding out about activities and open days)

Q 6) Which of the following restrict getting there or access to information…?

People and nature: learning through doing 9 Blarbuie Woodland action research report Many comments were received in the responses, outwith the direct questions – and in some cases attached alongside. All of these are important in weighing up the significance of the received data.

Putting these ideas and comments in something like the order of the responses to the questions, these are:

‘Can bus with support’

‘No public transport, and slight mobility difficulties’

‘Some can get there by car with help’

‘I didn’t realise it was there and was of special interest’

‘I’m very new to the Lochgilphead area’

‘I thought it was just for the patients’

‘People at the Centre keep me informed’

‘Slight mobility difficulties on rough ground’

‘Blarbuie always keep me informed’

‘Ill health, now recovered and will walk again’

‘Scared of being alone in case of falling’

‘Restricted hours due to time with carers’

‘Some people with MS don’t think of going to the woods – not confident in unfamiliar surroundings, and presume not to be able’

People and nature: learning through doing 10 Blarbuie Woodland action research report

Case study visit to Blarbuie Woodland As part of the Research we followed up a returned Questionnaire, which had involved several respondents, with an arranged group visit. The respondents were members of Neighbourhood Networks, a largely West-of-Scotland initiative to enable people who might otherwise be socially isolated to play a part in local society with appropriate support. One or two of the group knew Blarbuie Woodlands fairly well, others little or not at all. We wanted to know how they might get to the Woods, and how they would find the access within the Woods – most of them having slight mobility difficulties. Our journey there was informative in itself – how we had arranged the car spaces from the café in the centre of town where we all met up (plus one Networks member who went on ahead by bicycle – very commendable!). Meeting at the Woodland entrance might have been an option, but having lunch together – staff and members of Neighbourhood Networks, and the Blarbuie Woodland Research Team, discussing such important matters as the need for ongoing support services in the area, and how good the chips were – was a very valuable part of the Research.

Arriving at the main public entrance to the Woodland, adjacent to the car park of Mid Argyll Hospital, the dozen or so folk gathered, and there discussed the impact – or otherwise - of the signs and features leading you towards that entrance; on the whole these are quite good but we described to the visitors our plan to paint a long concrete wall near to the entrance with a colourful woodland mural, which would draw the eye of people arriving at Mid Argyll Hospital, whether they were looking for the Woodland entrance or not. One of the most valuable points raised by the Network members was the potential for promoting the immediate and very frequent bus service, which serves the Hospitals. There was seen a range of potential, from spreading knowledge of bus timetables among the target and wider audiences to the use of the bus as a mobile Blarbuie information panel, letting people using the service know about the Woodland and its activities and events. Someone even suggested having ‘Blarbuie Woodland’ on the front of the bus – whether the bus company would agree to that its difficult to say, but they will certainly be contacted about all the ideas raised.

Other issues of off-site information and travel were discussed as we set off through the Woods. Two of the group are car-driver/owners, and sharing cars is part of the way that they can get together for visits such as this, especially as some of them live several miles from Lochgilphead and on routes where buses are less frequent. One or two of the group that were already aware of Blarbuie Woodland had not realised until now that it was a place for the whole community, not just people residing at Argyll and Bute Hospital.

The entire group found the paths and access throughout the Woods quite easy, though there could be even more seats and shelters. They enjoyed all the carvings and artistic curiosities, and reckoned more people should be made aware of the attractions and easy access of the place.

People and nature: learning through doing 11 Blarbuie Woodland action research report Some other more general comments:

‘Nice walk, in easy reach’

‘We have gone as a family often, enjoying the relaxing atmosphere. My son has reading difficulties but we read information to him and with the aid of the pictures this helps…we love our times at Blarbuie’

‘I like the open days and activities and meeting other people’

‘Although many people with MS would not go alone they could be encouraged to go in a group’

‘Many with severe MS have carers or drivers so although their condition seems worse they have greater opportunity’

‘Some people have sight or recognition difficulties’

‘Many people love going with their grandkids’

‘Would love to visit again’

‘Some are not used to making choices by themselves’

People and nature: learning through doing 12 Blarbuie Woodland action research report CONCLUSIONS Although there is certainly room for improving or extended the all- abilities access within the site, this has not emerged as a priority. The key factors that restrict number of people visiting, or the number of times people visit, are:

Information Transport Ill health Disability Support Confidence

a) Information. More people would have known about Blarbuie Woodland and its easy access if information had been wider, although most people felt adequately informed. However some respondents were unaware of the range of activities and open days occurring at the woodland. b) Transport. The answers to Question 2 on how people get to the wood has answers about buses and cars. These answers have had to be carefully examined, for some people are answering about the Service Bus to the Hospitals, and some are referring to the minibus available to their specific group. Similarly with cars, some people’s visit is reliant upon the vehicles of carers or staff. c) Ill health refers to people with a variety of health problems, and is a direct issue as well as relating to the longer-term living and support conditions of the group or individual. d) Disability is also diverse, and relates to issues of support, independence and confidence. e) People in the target groups require hugely varying levels of support, from a little to a lot. This need is in itself a restriction to reaching Blarbuie but can also be the means by which people can and do get there. f) Lack of confidence can be as a result of disability or ill health or other issues.

Some respondents answering particular questions were referring directly to the Woodland, and some responses were more general about an individual’s personal circumstances. In the belief that most people would wish to come to Blarbuie Woodland, would benefit from it, or come more often, or be more involved, we need to take into consideration all issues about people’s own travel or confidence issues alongside the ways in which Blarbuie Woodland can be accessed.

People and nature: learning through doing 13 Blarbuie Woodland action research report Unfortunately there was a disappointing lack of full responses and/or support in completing and distributing the questionnaire from some organisations that we felt would share similar aims to ourselves (ie "a service dedicated to promoting health and supporting recovery"). Perhaps reflecting an institutional culture barrier that needs to be addressed.

HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD The actual act of going out there in ‘Action Research’ has enabled us to reach more people. Along the way we have made presentations or hosted visits, but there is more of this to do throughout the area – and we will be responding to calls for us to visit various groups with the film from the earlier research. This will spark further debate about how more people can reach Blarbuie, and be a springboard for disseminating the findings of this latest research. Another very specific way the Woodland can be promoted was put forward by our respondents from Neighbourhood Networks, who have varied disabilities and learning difficulties, and who joined an arranged visit and recording session: Use the Service Bus, ask them to put ‘Blarbuie Woodland’ on the sign, have posters in the Bus, let people know that it takes them right to the Woods.

Apart from the Service Bus, or on foot, or private car, ‘Transport’ can mean reaching the Woodland by a minibus available to a group, or by car driven by a carer or support worker: these are vital to many, but economic restraints are restricting availability – though their provision remains significant. Blarbuie Woodland can encourage groups to take advantage of such provision as there is, can join the groups concerned in lobbying to retain or improve such provision, and can help to coordinate shared use of vehicles, but could also consider finding its own Blarbuie transport.

People and nature: learning through doing 14 Blarbuie Woodland action research report People need support and company. This can mean family, friends or professional staff. This can increase confidence. Group visits can overcome issues of transport or support or confidence, but it is also important that Blarbuie – and its partners and friends – do as much as possible to encourage and inform and support people to get to the Woods in ones or twos.

Blarbuie Woodland will definitely talk to the company running the Service Bus, and will seek to inform the potential visitors of its availability and timetable. This provision – already well-used by people coming and going from both Hospitals, and by some regular Woodland visitors and participants – could enable more people to get to the Woods for a walk, but could also be promoted when there are Open Days.

It is important that Blarbuie Woodland sees itself – and is seen by other groups and organisations and statutory bodies – as a service dedicated to promoting health and supporting recovery. Currently there are regular Health Walks, mainly for people residing at Argyll and Bute Hospital – some who are there for a short stay and some who live there permanently – but there could be more arranged Walks drawing in other groupings. Whilst people use the Wood casually in their own time we have discovered that many people value the existence of set Walks at set times, and through this action all issues of transport, support and confidence can be addressed.

During group discussion as part of the research process some people referred to the clarity or otherwise of roadside and entrance signage. This has firmed up a plan to paint a wall adjacent to the main public entrance with bright woodland scenes, drawing the eye of the person looking for the Woodland, and also the eyes of others visiting the Hospitals who did not know about the Woodland walk. There are plans afoot for a main notice board to be erected on Lochgilphead Front Green, and Blarbuie has an opportunity to be included on it.

People and nature: learning through doing 15 Blarbuie Woodland action research report For several decades there has been a shrinking of the Hospital population and staff, and in the eight years of Blarbuie Woodland this process has continued, and in the near future there will be a much smaller psychiatric unit with a greater emphasis on Community Mental Health Services. This is having and will have an affect on the aims and objectives of Blarbuie Woodland Enterprise. This research and its findings will help the Enterprise to redirect some its actions, reaching out more to users of mental health services in the wider community, and reaching other people with particular issues relating to poor physical health and special needs in terms of support – enabling more people to reach Blarbuie Woodland.

Action Research – as facilitated by the Scottish Community Development Centre and Scottish Natural Heritage – leads directly to the enhancement of relationships within the community. The findings will be a resource to be referred to when planning development of the site and the development of information, and the development of activities, but the actual act of research has already raised interest in the Woodland considerably. Another positive outcome is the new knowledge and understanding of complex issues of health and disability and exclusion gained by the Research Team, and the Team and other Blarbuie partners and participants have acquired new skills and confidence that will help them develop the Enterprise in ways that will ensure more and more people with poor health or disability will benefit from enjoying the trails and facilities within this beautiful woodland setting, enjoying the plants and creatures and fresh air – in solitude or in company.

People and nature: learning through doing 16 Blarbuie Woodland action research report

The Research was carried out by:

Hugh Fife – Blarbuie Woodland Coordinator Jess Grant – Hospital and Woodland Volunteer and Walk Leader With: David Witter, Angus McLean, Brenda Bratt, Stephen McDonald – all Volunteers or Woodland Participants

Robert Cuthbert of the Scottish Community Development Centre was the Team’s Mentor, and Elaine Macintosh of Scottish Natural Heritage also provided significant advice and support.

The Team thanks all Research Respondents.

The pictures included are of Hospital groups and Volunteers on walks, plus members of Neighbourhood Networks.

People and nature: learning through doing 17 Blarbuie Woodland action research report Appendix: THE QUESTIONNAIRE

REACHING BLARBUIE WOODLAND

The Woodlands near the Hospitals in Lochgilphead are well used by patients and staff, groups of all ages, and the wider public. The location and accessibility of the site – and its beauty and diversity and artistic interpretation – have ensured growing numbers of people walking or being involved in the regular woodland activities, but there is an awareness that some people are not visiting that might wish to, and that some people may not be visiting as often as they would like. There may be a number of reasons that an individual, or a group, may be deterred or restricted from visiting, or from being involved in the frequent activities and open days, and Blarbuie Woodland Enterprise wants to discover what these issues are. We have established through Action Research carried out during 2008 and 2009, involving interviews within the Woods, that people benefit greatly in terms of health and wellbeing from being in the Woods.

Please take a little time to look over the Reaching Blarbuie Woodland Questionnaire, and answer these questions yourself, or on behalf of an individual or group. We would like to have more in-depth discussion with some individuals or groups or relevant carers and staff, so please tick one of the options below if you would like to meet up on site, or would like us to meet you elsewhere. Please also state whether you are a group or individual.

Our research is fully approved, and confidentiality of individuals or groups answering the Questionnaire is assured, with no names or contact details being included when the research results are published. We may, however, contact you later to ask you if you would be prepared to be quoted in any articles we might be asked to produce following publication. The published results will be made available to you by Spring 2011.

People and nature: learning through doing 18 Blarbuie Woodland action research report

lease tick one or more of the following:

I return the completed Questionnaire

I would like to visit Blarbuie Woodland to discuss the Questions

I would like to meet elsewhere to discuss the Questions

Are you responding as:

An individual, or on behalf of an individual?

As a group or on behalf of a group?

If you are responding on behalf of a group please give details of the group, the number of people who are clients/service users and the geographical range of the organisation locally:

People and nature: learning through doing 19 Blarbuie Woodland action research report The Questions:

1) Are you aware of Blarbuie Woodland, by the Hospitals in Lochgilphead? (please tick if you are)

2) Have you visited Blarbuie Woodland?: (please tick one)

Never

Once

A few times

Many times

3) If not, why not?

4) If you have visited before, how have you usually travelled there? (please tick one or more)

On foot

By car

By bus

Or by which other means

People and nature: learning through doing 20 Blarbuie Woodland action research report 5) Do you have difficulty? (please tick one or more)

Catching a bus

Driving or being driven there

Walking there

Finding company to go there with

Finding out how to find the Woodland or the Woodland entrances

Finding out about activities and open days

Other (please describe)

6) Do any of the following conditions restrict you getting there, or restrict your access to information?

Disability

Sensory impairment

Reading difficulties

Lack of cash

Lack of confidence

Ill health

Lack of time

Other (please describe)

(please tick any of the above, and, if you wish, add further details)

People and nature: learning through doing 21 Blarbuie Woodland action research report Please bear in mind that many of the above issues may be relevant even if you already visit fairly often.

Please add any further comments or suggestions:

Thank you for your time. Your participation in this research will lead to greater use and enjoyment of Blarbuie Woodland.

Name and contact details:

Name:

Address:

Email

Telephone no:

People and nature: learning through doing 22 Blarbuie Woodland action research report

Contact Hugh Fife [email protected] Tel 0131 220 2500 Dtp, design and photos by Hugh Fife and Peter Creech

People and nature: learning through doing 24 Blarbuie Woodland action research report