Brown Rock Woodland CIC’s offer is open to all residents within North Somerset with a particular focus on people with poor mental health, older people and those living with long-term health conditions.From our work to date we know we have reached a cross section of North Somerset residents and can support people presenting a range of needs including autism, anxiety, physical health issues and those recovering from substance misuse. It is also very easy for people with any of the above conditions to become socially isolated and experience poor mental health. For older people the sessions provide a meaningful interaction with others and nature, which supports them in daily life. We have found strength in having people with different types and levels of need within a group, as each person brings a different perspective and can share their experiences. Each session is held in a supportive way with a focus on positive resourcing, so whilst difficulties are always acknowledged they do not become the focus of our time together. Our emphasis is on how nature can support us and build our resilience. Through working with other community providers such as We Are Aware, we have been able to reach people where they already feel comfortable and provide an additional offer for their participants. We will continue to invite new participants and their carers/ link workers to visit one of our sessions, before they commit to a full course.Using our site where we have access to 20 acres of mature woodland, open fields, outdoor classrooms and a community garden that offer people a safe place to step into nature. We believe that deepening our personal connection to nature brings transformational benefits for both our health and wellbeing and the natural environment.Our facilitators are trained in the NatureWell approach developed by Natural Academy and we offer both nature-based health promotion and green care programmes.Wild Days offer a regular and structured wellbeing day each month, with simple and effective nature-based interventions such as: mindfulness, check in & reflection alongside seasonal practical activities in the woodland or community garden. Each day is a stand-alone session, allowing people to attend when they are able as well as acting as an introduction before attending a course or a follow-on afterwards. This is a nature-based health promotion programme.Grow Days offer light volunteer sessions in our community garden. Weekly during the main growing season (April - October) and then once a month (November – March)Fresh Air Fridays provide woodland management volunteering opportunities run throughout the winter (Oct-March).Wild Pathways is a six-session structured NatureWell course, which takes participants through the 5 Pathways to Nature connection. It is designed to provide a green care offer for people living with long term health issues and or mental ill health. Space and time are given for participants to create a coherent group that take part in both nature connectedness and practical conservation activities. People were recruited through our current networks and promotions, with both self-referral and link worker referral possible. As people deepen their connection to nature, they can sustain a greater sense of wellbeing over time.Working with two facilitators for up to 12 attendees works for both the day sessions and six-week courses. This allows the time and space for everyone to contribute and for a coherent group to form.We are also aware that it can be difficult to maintain these numbers over six sessions with participants with high needs. We run all sessions from 11am-3pm as this start time works best for many participants.In terms of numbers, the table below gives the opportunities we have provided in the period.Activity Number of sessions/year Places available/year Attendees/yearWild Days 12 144 85WildPathways 2 x 6 week 24 20Grow Days 19 152 76Fresh Air Fridays 6 36 32In September 2022, after significant development time, our partnership with Weston College enabled us to start to deliver a year-long study programme for 16–18-yearolds.This relationship has grown further, and we are now working with the adult education team to develop a programme of activities/courses as part of their social prescribing model. We see our Wild Days and Wild Pathways course being part of this offer, along with a variety of other skills-based courses and volunteering opportunities.Furthermore, the team at Brown Rock, in various capacities, has been involved in championing the need for nature-based interventions to become commissioned. Our involvement in the Green Social Prescribing (GSP) initiative demonstrates the importance of consistency in these projects and help strengthen the case for green care provision in meeting the growing health crisis.Our wellbeing work is based on the NatureWell approach that has been delivered, reviewed and further developed over a number of years by Natural Academy and partners. There is significant evaluation of this work that supports the value of time in nature for both our physical health and mental wellbeing. Research also shows that we need to move beyond pure contact with nature to a deeper nature connection to experience the full benefits for ourselves and the environment. This relationship with nature can be developed through the 5 Pathways to NatureConnection, as identified by Miles Richardson at the University of Derby, which is integral to our delivery. Our delivery days provide a supportive structure for participants, with the knowledge that they can contribute as much as they feel able at any time.A grounding is offered at the start of the day to help people arrive in the place and the group and leave any concerns behind. A check-in allows everyone’s voice to be heard and creates a togetherness of shared thoughts and reflections, often about nature. Some solo time in nature with a given focus allows some space to connect with nature, the individual experiences can then be shared in pairs or with the group.Social time is encouraged with refreshment breaks, often round a fire in the colder months. There will also be a more practical task carried out together, with everyone having the chance to input their ideas, knowledge and experience, so that we all learn together. We create a spacious feeling around this, so there is no pressure to rush to complete something, but we can finish with a feeling of joint achievement. Each day will end with some joint reflections and a take home activity to continue our nature connection.We know that being outside in nature helps most people feel more at ease, as it offers a spaciousness that helps reduce anxiety. Having a structure for the day means people know in general what is going to happen and that they can sit out any activity that they feel is too much for them. We ensure everyone is valued and listened to so they can feel comfortable in a social situation. The connection with nature that people develop with us can continue to grow and be experienced at other times.Feedback from our Wild Day participants, as given below, demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach.‘The way the sessions are structured are perfect for feeling present in the moment. The pace is good and there is no feeling of pressure in any of the activities. It feels a very safe space in which to be with others. The facilitators are excellent in creating this safe space.’‘I suffer a lot of anxiety and always find I am calmer at the end than at the beginning. Doing the willow weaving I found particularly mindful’‘Being part of a safe environment with no judgement enabled me to feel ok about myself.’NatureWell has now been applied across several organisations: NHS Forest, Somerset Wildlife Trust, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, NHS Southmead Hospital and Avon Wildlife Trust (AWT) Wellbeing with Nature Project (2016-2020) The Community Farm: Wild Steps and EcoWild Mind Groups.The Brown Rock team is also able to draw on their experience and involvement in AWTs ‘Wellbeing with Nature Project’ Green Care courses. Evidence from this project showed that 89% of participants had improved health and wellbeing, 78% participants had increased connection to their community. 74 % of participants had increased their connection to nature. Longitudinal data also showed that 100% of participants maintained an improvement in their wellbeing and connection to nature.

Brown Rock is continually working with individuals and organisations to ensure we have the right pathways for people to access our provision.At present we are exploring a partnership with Weston College (adult team) and how we can provide a social prescribing offer in partnership with them.Alongside Weston College, we are in conversation with Vita Life who are looking to build relationships within North Somerset, as they currently have no direct offer for residents on their waiting lists.We are also in a position to provide and do provide additional community outreach work to support those that are unsure of nature-based interventions. This has been through experience days for primary care social prescribers, offering sessions within GP surgeries or offering 1-2-1 sessions.Brown Rock is in a strong place to continue discussions and develop needed work programmes with an ongoing working relationship with a number of local groups/organisations;Tyntesfield Medical GroupNHS Primary Care Social Prescribing NetworkNorth Somerset Wellbeing CollectiveCreate Together No 65 Community HubWe are AwareOff The Record

No remuneration was received

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration