Nature for Health
Nature for Health, which is managed by the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, has established initiatives in five ‘test and learn’ sites, and begun to share learning across the region and nationally.
Our work is part of ‘Greater Manchester Nature for Health’, one of seven national ‘green social prescribing programmes’ testing and learning how we can best connect people with nature for their mental wellbeing. The aim is to engage with individuals most at risk of developing poor mental health and create the activities and support they need, whilst making the most of the natural environment. Our learnings will inform the development of regional nature-based social prescribing services and national policy at the end of the two year pilot in 2023.
Brilliant outcomes for people and nature can be achieved by partnership working between health and social care services and the banding together of VCSE (Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise)Â nature based groups.
There is plenty of evidence to show that regular contact with the natural environment enhances both physical health and mental wellbeing. Whether it’s a gardening project, an environmental programme or simple walk in the park, being outdoors and being active is proven to benefit mental health.Mind
Green groups
We work with a variety of green groups in Prestwich to deliver our green social prescribing provision. When you fill out a form to join us, we'll get in touch with you and have a discussion about which of these groups may best fit your wants and needs.
Click on the tabs below to learn more about the groups.
Incredible Edible Prestwich and District
Incredible Edible Prestwich and District are a welcoming bunch of people working together to grow food. Coordinator Mark tells us a bit more about the group.
Incredible Edible Prestwich & District (IEPAD) was set up in June 2010 by a group of local people keen to develop a community approach to the growing and eating of locally produced food.Â
They work over 3 sections - main garden, forest garden and herb garden. Tasks include preparing and maintaining raised beds, clearing and weeding areas and raising plants from seed in the polytunnel. Over the past six years they have also transformed the abandoned former fruit garden set up by the Philips family more than a century ago.Â
Friends of Philip's Park
The Friends of Philip's Park group meet regularly to tend to the ground of Philip's Park, and make sure it's a beautiful welcoming place for all.
Tuesday Social Drop In
 We work in close partnership with local social prescribing services, to ensure we can support people’s social wants and needs which can’t be met by an active connection to nature alone. If you are interested in finding out how social prescribing services could help you or someone you know, why not pop into the social drop in every Tuesday at 1pm at Church Lane Community Centre and have an informal chat with a local social prescriber?
Bury Greenwood Group
Bury Greenwood group are a friendly bunch who meet on a Thursday from 10 at Philip's Park. They make all sorts of things from greenwood including benches, bowls and traditional wood crafts, and there's a huge amount of skills to be learnt.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust: Nature and Wellbeing Service
Lancashire Wildlife Trust Nature and Wellbeing Service (formerly Myplace) is an exciting and innovative social prescribing project delivered in partnership with the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust.
Working in nature for the benefit of both people's wellbeing and nature's recovery, activities can range from bushcraft to conservation to group walks and mindfulness.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust: Practical Conservation
Practical Conservation is a chance to meet new people, improve your wellbeing and make a positive difference to the wildlife on your doorstep. We value our volunteers and without them we simply couldn't deliver the valuable work we do.
If you'd like to refer yourself or someone else to our Nature for Health sessions in Bury, please fill out one of the forms below:
Where to find us
We are based from a few locations in the Prestwich area of Bury. Many of our sessions run from Philip's Park which is locally renowned for its woodland since at least the Victorian period, and is still marked as a regionally important wildlife site thanks to the ancient woodlands, birds and wildflowers found around the site.
Key
Nature for Health