Health and Wellbeing

Natural ways to wellbeing

Nature matters for our health and wellbeing.

The power of nature to transform the way we feel can never be underestimated.

•    Had a bad day at the office? Take half an hour to wander through a wood and watch birds coming in to roost.

•    Need a breath of fresh air after school? Run around a natural playground to burn off energy.

•    Recovering from an illness or an operation? Put a spring in your step on a reserve where you can take regular walks. We guarantee you’ll see something different and extraordinary every time you visit.

•    Create your own tweets of the day Explore your favourite nature reserve and nurture your creative spirit taking photos and writing poems. 

Mental ill-health is on the rise and we know from our experience that enabling people to connect with nature can be a vital part of people's recovery. This is supported by evidence from health professionals. 

What BBOWT are doing

• We look after wonderful places where you can enjoy the benefits of nature. Our reserves are wonderful places to take gentle exercise and relax in the beauty of nature.
• We help businesses improve the health and wellbeing of their employees.
• With the other Wildlife Trusts, we continue to build the evidence that contact with wildlife is good for human health.
• We offer opportunities for people to get closer to nature through volunteering and experience mental and physical benefits.
• We ran our Engaging with Nature project, which enabled people from Eight Bells for Mental Health, a local charity in Newbury, to gain the benefits of being outdoors. The project was funded and led by BBOWT at the Nature Discovery Centre in partnership with Eight Bells for Mental Health. The group met for 12 weeks from January 2017 and completed practical conservation tasks. You can find out more about the project, and watch a video of the participants explaining what the project meant to them, here.