ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
The Brain Injury Founda on
The Brain Injury Founda on is a cross‐community support group which also provides respite near Newry, Co Down. It was launched by a group of survivors, carers and volunteers in August 2012 and has over 100 members.
In 2013, the Brain Injury Founda on purchased and renovated a property in Camlough following a £350,000 grant from Space and Place. Prior to this, the group de‐ pended on temporary premises and was limited in the work it could do.
The organisa on’s new premises named ‘Our House,’ pro‐ vides a permanent, dedicated centre of excellence for “Almost all of the management commi ee are brain injury brain injury survivors, their carers and family members. It survivors or carers. In one sense this is the only place that was officially opened in October 2015. is completely owned and directed by its service users, it
really is ‘Our House’.” Through the centre and its work, BIF aims to minimise isola on and enhance the confidence of their members Frank Hewi , the Big Lo ery Fund’s NI Chair, said: “It’s enabling them to socialise, develop their communica on wonderful to see how the Brain Injury Founda on has skills, learn new skills and engage fully in their local transformed this building with funding from the Space & community. Place programme. People affected by brain injury and their
families have been at the forefront of developing this The facility will also allow BIF to help integrate brain injury project and we are looking forward to seeing the survivors into the wider community by opening up the difference the new centre makes to them.” building for wider community use by other organisa ons in this rural area and beyond. BIF services all of the Southern Health and Social Care
Trust area with members drawn from Dungannon, Speaking at the October 2015 opening of the new Loughgall, Richhill, Bessbrook, Newry, Gilford, premises, Frank Dolaghan chair of the Brain Injury Warrenpoint, Rostrevor, Kilkeel, Newcastle, Castlewellan Founda on said: “Centres like this are necessary as the and Rathfriland. biggest single issue facing survivors and their carers is loneliness. The Brain Injury Founda on differs from many chari es in that it is user led. For more informa on, contact Frank Dolaghan at The Brain Injury Founda on via e‐mail: [email protected] or by telephone: 028 3083 9943 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Bryson LaganSports
Bryson LaganSports and Cancer Focus NI formed an innova ve partnership to enable breast cancer survivors to avail of the opportunity to experience dragon boat paddling on the River Lagan. Research has demonstrated that people who par cipate in dragon boat paddling a er breast cancer surgery feel stronger and have more energy.
Dragon boat racing traces its roots back thousands of years to compe ons between villagers in China. Its modern incarna on involves a team of 20 paddlers, one drummer and one steersperson who propel a long, narrow boat, much like a canoe, several hundred meters during a Due to the success of the project, Cancer Focus NI and compe on. The boat is o en decorated with a dragon Bryson LaganSports are planning to extend the service head at the front and a tail at the back beyond breast cancer survivors to ensure that anyone with a cancer diagnosis has the opportunity to avail of paddle Dragon boa ng has become especially popular among sport ac vi es on the River Lagan in Belfast. breast cancer survivors, thanks to a 1998 study by Canadian sports medicine specialist Don McKenzie. For more informa on, contact Siobhan Caulfield at Bryson LaganSports via e‐mail: “Bryson LaganSports has given us the opportunity to avail scaulfi[email protected] or by telephone: of their exper se and impressive facili es to establish one 028 9046 1711 of our fastest growing services which aims to have 40 paddlers on the River Lagan each week. Dragon boat paddling for women who are affected by breast cancer is well known around the world but our team is a first for Northern Ireland. Dragon boat paddling helps women get fi er a er breast cancer treatment, makes them feel be er emo onally, and is a great way to make new friends. It’s a fun way to get your life back on track. During the past 8 months we had a regular turnout of round 20 women, mainly from the Greater Belfast area.” Liz Atkinson, Head of Care Services, Cancer Focus NI said.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Red Cross: Flooding and Mental Health Provide a comparison between rural and urban contexts with regard to the causes and effects of This case study details the crea on of two reports by the flooding. Bri sh Red Cross on the subject of flooding impacts on Iden fy examples of community resilience in rural health in Northern Ireland. communi es. Use the research informa on to be er prepare and In 2010, the Bri sh Red Cross published its first report, inform strategic partners. This may include the civil ‘Living in Fear of the Rain,’ which discussed the impact of con ngencies community, emergency services, local flooding in Greater Belfast. Belfast City Council recognised resilience partners and policy makers. that the impact of flooding on people living in high‐risk flood areas in Greater Belfast needed to be assessed. It Successes approached the Red Cross to undertake research in 2008. Some of the major successes of each project included: The second report, ‘Cut off by the Floods,’ was published ‘Living in Fear of the Rain’ in 2012. It outlined the difficul es experienced by rural The examina on of the long‐term complex needs of popula ons who had been faced with flooding, focusing people vic mised by flooding. mainly on County Fermanagh and Beragh, County Tyrone. A new focus on the need to engage flooding in a ‘people‐centred’ way; directly communica ng with Aims/objec ves those at risk to increase preparedness. The ability to highlight vulnerable groups like single ‘Living in Fear of the Rain’ (2010) parents and low income families, whose needs To determine the impact of flooding for people and require further specific research. communi es living in high‐risk flooding ‘hot‐spots’ Engagement from other organisa ons with an in Belfast. interest or responsibility for flooding. To determine people’s main needs and any Detailed analysis of key flooding terms such as vulnerability at the response and recovery stages, resilience, community and vulnerability. including prac cal, social and welfare issues. To review current integrated emergency ‘Cut off by the Floods’ management models in Northern Ireland. Gained posi ve feedback from par cipants who were happy that the reports accurately conveyed ‘Cut off by the Floods’ (2012) their experience of flooding impacts. Examine the short and long‐term impact of flooding The report is a driver for the development of new on individuals, communi es and businesses in community resilience ini a ves. iden fied flooding ‘hot‐spots.’ The research was cited by a range of other Iden fy needs at the response and recovery stages, organisa ons and by the Red Cross when asked to including prac cal, social and welfare issues. present its findings and recommenda ons to a Iden fy specific vulnerable groups through range of bodies. engagement at a local level. Lessons learned It has used the findings in two very prac cal ways: It piloted a ‘flooding roadshow’ which provides informa on that respondents said they required in the report. Informa on included insurance advice, flood defence advice and health and safety advice. The findings have been incorporated into the emergency response that the Red Cross offer.
For more informa on, contact Stephen Jones at Climate Northern Ireland via e‐mail: [email protected] or by telephone: 028 9045 5770 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
The Feel Good Factor
The Feel Good Factor is a women’s mountaineering and mountain biking club, founded early in 2015 by Kath Maguire as a way of linking up with other women to enjoy the fantas c range of outdoor recrea on opportuni es available around the Mourne Mountains.
Through her own background working in the outdoors Kath understood the barriers to women’s par cipa on in outdoor ac vi es. Beyond more obvious factors such as busy lives, Kath knew that much of it had to do with lack of confidence, and access to people with skills and equipment.
With the support of an Ac ve Clubs Grant from Sport Northern Ireland, the Feel Good Factor devised the Ascend and Accelerate programme, to enable women access taster sessions and skills development in hillwalking, rock‐climbing and mountain‐biking. For some of the Ge ng out on bad weather days has added another mothers involved par cipa on has been made possible dimension to enjoyment of the outdoors, with some through funding for childcare. saying the difficult condi ons made it even more exhila‐ ra ng. Kath said that while difficult to measure, experience within the club has shown how the social engagement and sense The Feel Good Factor is a family‐friendly group with of achievement arising from outdoor ac vi es is hugely children and partners joining in some ac vi es. The club beneficial to par cipants’ mental health. Amongst the already has almost 50 members, and Kath believes the physical health benefits men oned were improved Ascend and Accelerate programme will provide a solid strength, fitness and endurance. basis for the club to con nue.
Engagement with the natural environment is part of the For more informa on, contact The Feel Good Factor special feel good factor that has given the club its name. via email: [email protected] or by Women have been blown away by the quality of the telephone: +353 1 625 1115 scenery and the beauty of nature. Members of the club have used Mountaineering Ireland’s Walking With Wildlife leaflet to introduce others to flora and fauna species found in the Mournes.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Live Here Love Here: St Gerard’s Chicks
St Gerard’s is a special school based in West Belfast, with over 200 pupils who have moderate learning difficul es. In 2014 they were awarded £1,200 through the Live Here Love Here Small Grants Scheme to develop their exis ng school garden to allow them to keep a brood of chickens.
The main project goal was to create a sense of Civic Pride within the school and to engage with the wider community and environment. As the project has developed it has gone above and beyond the ini al goal and has posi vely impacted upon pupil’s health and wee baby chicks ‐ there were loads of them. All of us were wellbeing. over the moon about going to a school that has animals.”
“The school got seven chickens in April 2015. We drove out This project has also created a sense of ownership in the in the school minibus to a farm in County Armagh to collect pupils and it has enriched their school experience. Timmy our brood. On the journey back one of the chickens laid an Murphy, a Year 8 pupil, said “Every morning I go over with egg in their cardboard box. This was the beginning of the Mr McGowan and a couple of other pupils to see how the egg‐citement! We use the chickens within our teaching chickens are. I was allowed to give names to all the hens. and learning” explained Teacher Paul Magowan. The best thing about school is the chickens.”
Pupils set up a tally chart to count the eggs during the first month and used them to demonstrate healthy ea ng. For more informa on, contact Nicola Murray at Teachers began using a visit to the chicken house as a Keep Northern Ireland Beau ful via email: reward. The school even held a chicken race showcasing nicola.murray@keepnorthernirelandbeau ful.org or the chickens to friends, family and the wider community. by telephone: 028 9073 6920
The pupils themselves have strong views on the benefits of the Live Here Love Here project. Mar n Maguire, a Post 16 pupil explained. “I think that chickens are great to have in school and we all enjoy having the chickens. The chickens help us by giving us eggs. The caretaker takes care of the chickens when we are off for the weekend and the summer holidays. When we came back from the summer holidays two of the chickens had ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Public Health and Landscape – A Landscape Ins tute Posi on Paper
The state of our health services is rarely out of the news. Understandably, there is huge concern about acute provision and the treatment of ill health. Much has been wri en about the increased incidence of obesity, the persistence of health inequali es and the best ways to care for an ageing popula on. We believe that much greater priority needs to be given to preven on of ill 4. Healthy places op mise opportuni es for working, health in public health and social care. learning and development
In April 2013, responsibility for public health moved from 5. Healthy places are restora ve, upli ing and healing for the NHS in England to local authori es. The Landscape both physical and mental health condi ons Ins tute was inspired by this change to look at the promo on of public health across the whole of the UK. We believe that the evidence in this publica on and especially the projects described provide a clear and Our challenge was to answer the ques on: Can landscape posi ve answer to the ques on posed. help create healthy places? All those concerned in crea ng healthy places – public This concluded with the publica on of a new posi on health professionals, planners and landscape architects – paper ‘Public Health and Landscape’ which sets out 5 need to recognise landscape as an asset that has principles which we believe are essen al to the crea on of enormous poten al to improve our health and wellbeing. healthy places.
For more informa on, contact Pete Mullin at The 1. Healthy places improve air, water and soil quality, incorpora ng measures that help us adapt to, and where Landscape Ins tute NI via e‐mail: [email protected] or possible mi gate, climate change by telephone: 028 9023 2545
2. Healthy places help overcome health inequali es and can promote healthy lifestyles
3. Healthy places make people feel comfortable and at ease, increasing social interac on and reducing an ‐social behaviour, isola on and stress ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Ac ve Lifestyles Programme
The Mourne Heritage Trust’s Ac ve Lifestyles conserva on volunteer programme is funded by Big Lo ery Reaching Communi es. The aim of the programme is to give people of all ages and abili es a chance to take part in outdoor conserva on work benefi ng the Mourne AONB, and at the same me improve their health and wellbeing, build tolerance and social inclusion, work with other people, and learn new skills. The programme has a targeted element to provide opportuni es for groups including adults with special needs, the black and minority ethnic community, disadvantaged youth and the unemployed, and also works with the general public, corporate bodies and students. Ac vi es are carried out at two gardens/ Tes monials nurseries around Silent Valley Mountain Park, and at sites across the Mourne AONB including coastal, mountain and “My son got the chance to make friends which is not easy lowland areas. The value of the above volunteer effort in for him as he has ADHD and also he got to explore and conserving the Mourne AONB in 2014/15 was es mated at learn about the outdoors.” Moire approx. £60,850. “The ac vi es provided have a posi ve impact on the An example of how Ac ve Lifestyles builds friendship & health and wellbeing of our clients with learning understanding through conserva on work is an asylum disabili es. Parents and carers remark on how the clients seeker group called AMAL, which involves people from have grown in self‐esteem and confidence with increased Sudan, Algeria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq and Syria (supported independence.” Mountview Adult Resource Centre, by Media on Northern Ireland), which has been Downpatrick volunteering with others in the Mournes for over 2 years undertaking erosion control work along popular walking “I want to thank all of you for giving my daughter such trails, repairing dry stone walls, carrying out heathland wonderful experiences. Behavioural difficul es mean she restora on work and li ing li er from the beaches along has spent a lot of me isolated from her peers. I do not the Mourne coastline. know if it is the ac vi es, the leadership or the group, but it works!! It has helped my daughter develop her communica on skills and enabled her to work as part of a team.” Paula
“This is by no means token volunteering, it gives our group the opportunity to be environmentally responsible adults, regardless of their disability, giving them a sense of pride.” Au sm Ini a ves Day Care Centre, Kilkeel
For more informa on, contact Ma hew Bushby at Mourne Heritage Trust via email: ma [email protected] or by telephone: 028 4176 5489 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Natural Deficit Disorder & 50 Things To Do Before 11 3/4 Campaign
In 2012 The Na onal Trust published the Natural Childhood report. Wri en by broadcaster and naturalist Stephen Moss, the report brought together a mountain of evidence which highlighted evidence of a long‐term and drama c decline in children's rela onship with the outdoors referenced as “nature deficit disorder”. The report highlighted the nega ve impacts of this decline, including the impacts upon health and wellbeing, and stated that: “Physical and mental health problems are the impact on children’s rela onships with the outdoors. most obvious consequences of a lack of engagement with Three years on it’s s ll ge ng children and their families nature, but there are others which are less tangible, exploring the outdoors ‐ and the campaign has evolved to though equally important. Principal among these are using online pla orms and an app to engage a broad declining emo onal resilience and the declining ability to audience. assess risk, both vital life‐skills in the development of which outdoor experience is vital” When children sign up to our 50 things microsite they’re given the op on of taking a 16‐ques on survey, with In response to the report findings, the Na onal Trust is ques ons aimed at assessing connectedness to nature. collabora vely working towards one goal ‐ To ensure We’ve found that children who get at least 25 of the 50 every child in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has the things under their belt are 15% more connected to nature chance to develop a personal connec on with nature by than when they hadn’t done any. They are also age 12. significantly more likely to agree with the statement “Being in the natural Environment makes me feel more We iden fied that a shi in behaviour change was needed, peaceful”. Doing 50 things makes them more likely to and that as an environmental charity, we wanted to play spend me in nature and encourages them to care about our part. So we launched 50 things to do before you’re other species and the environment. 11¾, a list of 50 outdoor mini‐adventures to get children off the sofa and into the wild. The “50 things” campaign The Na onal Trust hopes to build upon the successes of has shown that by crea ng fun and imagina ve ways to the campaign to date, and will work with partners to connect children with nature, we have started to have an con nue to ensure that nature deficit disorder is addressed.
For more informa on contact Diane Ruddock via email: diane.ruddock@na onaltrust.org.uk or by telephone: 028 9751 0721 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
The Big Red Arrows & Walking In Your Community
Walking is by far the most popular ac vity or sport in Northern Ireland and is widely recognised that regular walking offers important health and wellbeing benefits. Walking is the solu on to get Northern Ireland ac ve for a number of reasons: it is free; it is the most accessible physical ac vity requiring no special training or equipment; almost everyone can do it, anywhere and at any me.
Through the outreach work that Outdoor Recrea on NI led with local communi es in a variety of outdoor ac vi es, walking was iden fied as the most accessible and Big Red Arrow 27’ walking group in Lisburn area which was enjoyable outdoor ac vity in which to par cipate. formed in June 2014 by Community Walk Leader, Norman Community groups expressed their wish to encourage Weekes. The group has a regular programme of walks local people to get walking in the natural environment, but each week and each of the group’s walks now a ract 15 to needed support to enable that to happen. 25 walkers varying in ages. A buggy walk is now a regular
part of the week’s walking programme a rac ng mums. In direct response to this desire, Outdoor Recrea on NI set about crea ng a walk leader training scheme to meet the Norman Weekes, who set up ‘The Big Red Arrow 27’, needs of the community sector. commented "There is great camaraderie in the group and
it helps us all have a posi ve a tude for the rest of the Outdoor Recrea on NI launched ‘Walking In Your day. Everyone in the group enjoys stepping out in the Community’ in 2013. The scheme offers introductory walk fresh air, walking and talking of course and ge ng some leader training, insurance and other support to deliver a exercise." He con nued "We never re of the beau ful successful walking programme for local communi es in and interes ng environment that we have virtually on our Northern Ireland. As part of the scheme, trained walk doorstep." leaders set up walking groups and encourage people in their local community to walk with the group as part of a Not only has Outdoor Recrea on NI helped ‘The Big Red regular and enjoyable walking programme. Arrow 27’, but it has helped tens of other walking groups
to get trained and established. The programme of walks Walking In Your Community has now over 250 trained encourages local people to start walking regularly and community walk leaders and many ac ve walking groups enables them to enjoy the natural environment as well as throughout Northern Ireland. One such group is the ‘The improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Going forward, Outdoor Recrea on NI will be seeking greater support for the programme to enhance and roll out the scheme further.
For more informa on contact Fiona Barbour at Outdoor Recrea on NI via email: fiona@outdoorrecrea onni.com or by telephone: 028 9030 3930 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Social Farming: The Experience of the Social Farming Across Borders (SoFAB) project and The Next Step within Rural Support
Social Farming is an innova ve use of agriculture to promote therapy, rehabilita on, social inclusion, educa on and social services in rural areas. Within Social Farming, the farm is not a specialised treatment farm; rather the farm remains a typical working farm where people in need of support can benefit from par cipa on in the farm’s ac vi es in a non‐clinical environment. It also creates the opportunity to reconnect farmers with their Since SoFAB finished in 2014, the Department of local communi es through the opening up of their farms Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has provided as part of the social support system of the community. support for the con nued development of Social Farming in Northern Ireland through the appointment of a Social The Social Farming Across Borders (SoFAB) project (2011 – Farming Service Co‐Ordinator within Rural Support: 2014) promoted Social Farming as a viable op on for www.ruralsupport.org.uk achieving improved quality of life for people who use health and social services as well as farm families, through Through this role, Rural Support will further develop the enhancing social inclusion and connec ng farmers with network of providers and users and provide new their communi es. The project was a cross border EU opportuni es for individuals to avail of and benefit from INTERREG IVA Programme funded ini a ve, which piloted Social Farming ac vi es. Social Farming on 20 farms – 10 farms in Northern Ireland and 10 farms in the border coun es of the Republic of For more informa on, contact Aoibeann Walsh via Ireland. email: [email protected] or by telephone: 028 8676 0040 In total, 66 par cipants (people with learning disabili es and those recovering from a mental health illness) engaged with the project, with on average 3 par cipants supported on each farm. The project produced evidence of the benefits for par cipants (empowerment; inclusion; self actualisa on) and farmers (personal development; work environment; farm family).
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Down Community Coastal Rowing
In 2014 over 300 people, from Donaghadee to Dundrum, in County Down, built tradi onally‐styled wooden, coastal rowing boats for their communi es. In 2015 they organised themselves into seven community coastal rowing clubs and people now row together on a regular basis along the coast. No one is excluded and people from all walks of life and from 12 to 70+ are involved.
Providing ac vi es for young people can be a challenge in rural communi es, but coastal rowing and our magnificent marine environment has given a new social and fitness This is part of a strategy to conserve the area’s building interest to many young people and numbers are environment by encouraging sustainable water based steadily rising. recrea on and engaging local people with their environment. By developing outdoor recrea on it is also People who live on the coast but who previously felt that increasing opportuni es for visitors to come and bring they never had the chance to get out on the water now revenue into coastal communi es, which in turn brings see their area and their connec on to it differently. socio‐economic benefits.
“I was afraid to out on the water and never felt part of Strangford Lough and Lecale Partnership (SLLP) worked in Strangford Lough but now I feel at one with it. It makes me collabora on with the PSNI, who saw the value the project feel at peace.” would bring to social cohesion and inclusion within isolated rural se lements and coastal communi es, most “It’s amazing to be out on the water and to see the geese of which are considered socially disadvantaged. flying overhead, I just love it.” In 2016 (24–30 July) Strangford Lough’s Delamont “It’s great exercise in the outdoors and it makes you Country Park will host Skiffie Worlds Community Coastal appreciate your area.” Rowing Championships which will bring together people from all over the world to this area to share and celebrate The work drew on the area’s mari me heritage and latent their love of their mari me heritage and the great boat‐building skills and has provided opportuni es for outdoors. Skiffie Worlds is also a spor ng event and teams people to enjoy and use the marine environment, are already training hard. Many of the compe tors would including Strangford Lough. never take up mainstream compe ve sports, but the combina on of being in a beau ful natural environment and the heritage connec on is bringing new audiences to outdoor recrea on with associated health and fitness benefits.
This project was delivered by SLLP, in collabora on with PSNI and funded by Down Rural Area Partnership as part of the EU Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. It is supported by NIEA, and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.
For more informa on contact Strangford Lough and Lecale Partnership via e‐mail: [email protected] or by telephone: 028 4272 8886 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Western Area Green Gym
The PHA funded Western Area Green Gym is a programme of community support that engages, primarily adults, in environmental activities. The programme includes growing produce on allotments, management of natural habitats in the wider countryside alongside healthy eating and fitness education and awareness raising activities.
From April 2013 until March 2014, TCV delivered 655 Green Gym sessions resulting in environmental improvement on over 70 green spaces. The environmental improvements are most obvious but what is less visible, but no less significant, is the personal and health benefits 90% stating they felt more positive about themselves environmental volunteering brings to the individuals through their involvement in activities. involved. By monitoring and recording our interactions with volunteers and participants involved in the Green We also monitor behaviour and attitude changes whilst on Gym projects we begin to see the evidence of how we are a Green Gym. A good proportion of participants, despite successful in improving their lives. Green Gym volunteers wanting to do something outdoors for the environment, reported a sustained increase in physical activity levels, have no real environmental ethos when they start and 84% have increased their physical activity levels beyond whilst they have a basic understanding of the issues they their time onn the Gree Gym programme, 68% lost weight rarely are doing much to combat them at the time of (when measured), 53% eat 4 or more portions of fruit and joining. TCV’s research shows that volunteering with TCV vegetables per day following 6 months of Green Gym changes attitudes and behaviours across a broad range of activities. environmental, health and social issues.
71% increased the amount of household waste they The Green Gym conveys a range of social and mental recycled health benefits, for example, working with others 92% said volunteering on a Green Gym is an encourages participation in the local community, learning new skills and successfully completing a task builds overwhelmingly positive experience confidence and self‐esteem, ‘working out’ in the fresh air, 90% said they learnt something new, and 98% said they wanted to do it again. in contact with nature relieves stress and anxiety. Through 67% said they had made dietary changes after being regular monitoring 85% of participants strongly agreed to involved in food growing projects. a perceived increase in their mood and self‐confidence, 74% said volunteering gave them a greater sense of responsibility
For more information, contact Diane Keys at The Conservation Volunteers via e‐mail: [email protected] or by telephone: 028 9064 5169 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Roseland Walks for Health
This was a pilot project as part of a study funded by NERC and run by the University of Exeter. The overall study was called A Dose Health by the researcher Dan Bloomfield.
The pilot project was designed: For clients with a broad range of physical and psychological symptoms To work with a group of up to 12 people To organize a walk for them once a week for 10 weeks To receive referrals by GP’s in the Roseland area of Cornwall.
Potential participants were assessed in a 20 minute interview with the walk leaders. Out of 20 referrals, 7 Each walk included a break in which members had were selected as suitable based on minimum physical tea/biscuits and talked together. Some basic concepts of ability and availability for the scheduled dates. dialogue were introduced so that over the weeks levels of trust increased, resulting in deep levels of sharing. The group was made up of 3 men and 4 women. The main complaints were anxiety/low mood, loss of confidence due 6 of the 7 participants completed the 10 weeks. to surgery, post traumatic stress disorder, depression, low social confidence, angina with associated anxiety and The Warwick‐Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale was used obesity with lack of motivation to exercise. to assess the group at the start of the first session and again at the end of the last session. Over the ten week A walk was selected each week on the basis of the intervention the group shifted from an average score of weather forecast and the leaders sense of the group 34.5 points to one of 55.5. Based on a national average process. The initial walk was very gentle. Over the 10 score of 53 (out of 70), the group went from 16.2 points weeks the terrain varied from inland valleys to beach and below average to 2.3 above. cliff walks. Each walk includes the introduction of walking/ awareness skills. The general process can be summarized For more information, contact Robbie Breadon at as taking time to listen to the body and tuning into the University of Exeter via e‐mail: senses to become fully present to self and environment. [email protected] or by telephone: 07791 052 472 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Make Space for Nature Project
This project engaged children in three local special schools helping them to learn about wildlife and their natural environment while promo ng the health and well‐being benefits that come from being outdoors. Working with children from Knockevin Special School, (Downpatrick), Beechlawn School (Hillsborough) and Park School (Belfast) the project provided 8 interac ve hands‐on workshops per school between March and June 2015.
Schools chose from a range of ac vi es developed to best suit their needs such as building bird or bat boxes, crea ng mini‐beast hotels or ponds, making bird feeding sta ons, plan ng a wildflower garden and learning to iden fy birds, bu erflies and mini‐beasts through ID charts. Given the from Knockevin created a wonderful scrapbook to differing needs of the children within each of the schools, document their experiences. delivery of the sessions was tailored specifically following discussions with each teacher. This project would not have been possible without the
generous financial support from the AE Harvey Charitable Feedback received from each of the three schools was Trust. very posi ve and will be used to develop further ac vity in the future. All the children were fully engaged and very enthusias c throughout the sessions and benefited from For more informa on, contact Dawn Miskelly via the hands on prac cal nature of delivery. e‐mail: [email protected] or by telephone: 028 9045 4094 Health & well‐being benefits included increased physical ac vity in the outdoors, trying new experiences and learning new skills which in turn increased confidence.
Each school was encouraged to follow up with related ac vi es in between sessions – pupils at Beechlawn created an informa on board to display their achievements and each child wrote a Trip Advisor style review or story for their mini‐beast hotel, while the class ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Natural World Challenge Project
Ulster Wildlife has been working in partnership with a charity called Caring Breaks for the last five years on the Natural World Challenge Project funded by Big Lo ery Fund. Caring Breaks delivers respite breaks for family carers in the Belfast area by providing ac vi es for their sons and daughters with a learning disability.
Caring Breaks are the lead organisa on in the project and work in partnership with Ulster Wildlife to raise awareness of nature and protec on of the environment both for adults with a learning disability and their family carers. The project provides the opportunity for Caring Breaks’ clients to discover a whole range of new ac vi es and to natural environment in new ways, visi ng new places and experience the natural world in ways that others in the trying out new ac vi es. This also provides them with new wider community perhaps take for granted. experiences that they can then share with their families
when they return home. This project has shown us that that nature‐based ac vi es can be used to improve people’s social inclusion, health, well‐being, confidence and self‐esteem. The outcomes for For more informa on, contact Dawn Miskelly at the carers and the par cipants have been very powerful Ulster Wildlife via e‐mail: and has led to impact beyond what had been an cipated, [email protected] or by telephone: for everyone involved. 028 9045 4094
Every year we run a series of seasonal “challenges” with Caring breaks clients which include interac ve nature walks, scavenger hunts, beach art sessions, rockpool rambles and nature cra making. We also run sessions on plan ng and growing at the Caring Breaks allotment in the Castlereagh Hills. Clients were able to take the fruits of their labour home to share with their families and also linked in with sessions on healthy ea ng.
The sessions allow Caring Breaks clients to be more physically ac ve within their abili es, and to engage in the ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
ParkLife
Ulster Wildlife, through the ParkLife programme con nued to work with children in both the formal and informal educa on sectors across Belfast. Individual classes and whole school groups have par cipated in the project, encouraging teachers to use the green spaces of Belfast City Council Parks as outdoor classrooms, also promo ng health and well being through increased physical ac vity.
Children from Primary Schools close to Belfast City Council Parks were guided around and undertook fun and engaging ac vi es focusing on things like mini‐beasts, birds, leaves and seeds. Ulster Wildlife staff also kept track of the children’s physical ac vity through the use of pedometers. These results from the project show that by simply walking around their park and in most circumstances walking to ParkLife by its very nature encourages children to become and from their park, a child can achieve over one‐third of a more ac ve as they walk around their local park. Over their daily recommended amount of steps. me they become more connected to the park and the nature it contains and this ac vity con nues through For more informa on, contact Dawn Miskelly at repeat visits. During the sessions, children are encouraged Ulster Wildlife via e‐mail: to increase the level of physical ac vity they undertake to [email protected] or by telephone: maintain a healthy life, i.e. walking on average 12,000 steps each day. They can then understand the importance 028 9045 4094 a short walk around a park can have on reaching this target.
ParkLife officers have con nued to promote this ethos by providing children with pedometers to wear. The officers explain to the children that in order for them to maintain a healthy life, they should walk on average 12,000 steps each day. Children can then understand the importance a short walk around a park can have on reaching this target. ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Delivering Health Through The Environment Case Studies
Our Trees, Our Environment, Our Health
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s largest woodland conserva on charity. Founded in 1972, the Trust now owns more than 1,000 wildlife‐rich woods throughout the UK. The charity extended into Northern Ireland in 1996 and now cares for 50 woods right throughout the province: all are open and free for everyone to enjoy.
Northern Ireland is one of the least wooded countries in Europe, with just 8% woodland cover compared to the European average of 44%. With collec ve efforts, the charity aims to create, protect and restore na ve woodland throughout the country. Woodland Trust data reveals a lack of this natural resource. Only 7% of people in Northern Ireland have Trees and woodland contribute to our quality of life in so access to a wood larger than 2 hectares within 500m of many ways. The provision of green spaces can, for their home, and only 40% have access to a wood larger example, benefit both physical and mental health and, in than 20 hectares within 4km of their home. turn, reduce the wider costs of health care. The Woodland Trust aims to rec fy this. Carnmoney Hill, One third of all deaths in the UK are due to diseases which for example, sits on the edge of the large urban could be at least be partly reduced by increased physical popula ons of Belfast and Newtownabbey. Here, the ac vity. The es mated annual direct cost to the NHS as a charity and partners have planted over 60,000 na ve result of illness and mortality resul ng from physical trees. Improved signage, access and pathways encourage inac vity is £1.06 billion. Trees, woods and other green local people to visit and explore this wonderful green space can play an important role in encouraging ac ve oasis. lifestyles. For more informa on, contact The Woodland Trust The natural environment not only benefits physical health, via email: [email protected] or but also mental well‐being. Trees and woods can have a restora ve and therapeu c effect on the mind. Classic by telephone: 028 9127 5787 studies of hospital pa ents found that they recovered more quickly with a view of trees and nature from their windows. .
While studies show we are happier and healthier if we have easy access to woods, trees, and green spaces,