Healthier with Nature programme

Healthier with Nature is the Green Social Prescribing pilot site in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG), which is part of the cross-governmental programme to prevent and tackle mental ill health through green social prescribing (GSP) as a response to the COVID pandemic. The site is one of seven test and learn sites in England that was awarded funding from the Treasury to better understand how GSP works to inform a national evidence base to embed and sustain GSP within the healthcare system. The core delivery team is formed from a partnership of colleagues from the NHS, West of England Nature Partnership and Natural England.

Green social prescribing is the practice of supporting people to engage in nature-based interventions and activities to improve their mental and physical health. NHS England.

Since 2021 Healthier with Nature has focused on addressing inequalities in nature connection and health and aimed to embed nature-based practice in health and social care and the wider system across BNSSG. Helping sustain our voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) partners, delivering nature-based interventions, who are embedded in communities is a priority. Healthier with Nature has enabled multiple community wellbeing grant programmes which have funded over 90 nature-based interventions, supporting over 4,000 individuals living with the highest health inequalities across BNSSG. The range of nature-based interventions includes wild swimming, Nordic walking, nature connection and mindfulness, creative arts, gardening for wellbeing, music for wellbeing and walk and talk. The interventions have shown to increase levels of happiness and decrease levels of anxiety in participants, therefore having a significantly positive impact on their mental health.

“Wild swimming has helped to significantly reduce the quantity and intensity of suicidal thoughts I was having.”
Open Minds Active participant.

“I feel SO much better in so many ways – emotionally and physically and this has given me a new lease of live.”
Let’s Walk Bristol participant.

For more information on the impact of the programmes please see the stories section.

Raising awareness of the benefits of GSP and supporting referrals from health and social care is an essential part of embedding into the system. The Healthier with Nature training programme has supported health and social care professionals to develop their understanding of the benefits of nature for health and enabled nature-based practice to become part of the services they offer. To support the referral process, Healthier with Nature has produced a series of films, local maps and a directory showcasing nature-based activities across BNSSG.