Want to get involved in your local community? Here are all of the Grow Wild projects improving public spaces in Cardiff
Admire the 65 metre wildflower border planted by scouts as part of 29th Grow Wild.
Young Carers transform a disused courtyard with the Time 2 Grow project.
Create a sensory native wildflower garden with Grow Together at Insole Court.
A theater company is protecting green spaces in their area with Wild Adamsdown.
Learn more about healing weeds and fungi with Seeds and Spores.
Improve vandalised public spaces and join in with Canton Grows Wild.
Fitzalan High School is encouraging its students to learn more about wildflowers with their Bug Beds project.
We all know spending time outside is good for you, but what is ecotherapy?
Ecotherapy means connecting with nature by taking part in outdoor activities, but it can also mean taking part in organised sessions run by a therapist.
According to a paper by leading mental health charity, Mind, ecotherapy can improve mental and physical wellbeing.
Ways to enjoy nature as a part of your daily routine from Mind:
- Go for a walk outside
- Grow plants on your windowsill
- Download and listen to recordings of natural sounds, like waves crashing on the sand
- Join a local food growing project
- Put up a bird box or create a hedgehog house
- Do household tasks, like ironing, in front of a window
Local project organisers are encouraged to take time out of their busy schedules by attending a nature-themed wellbeing event
An event that aims to increase the sense of wellbeing among community project leaders is happening in Swansea this month.
The session takes place on 17 November and is a collaboration between two charities: Eden Project Communities and Grow Wild.
Both charities aim to better connect local communities, Grow Wild does this by encouraging people who might not usually have access to natural spaces to get outside.
The workshop aims to prevent community leaders from burning out when running local projects.
Guests at the event at Swansea’s Environment Centre can expect to learn about the workshop’s five ways of wellbeing: Connect, be active, take notice, give and keep learning.
Lowri Jenkins, the Wales Country Manager for Eden Project Communities said: “Quite often projects are run by a small number of volunteers. This sometimes creates a risk that people can burn out, or a project can fall down if there aren’t enough people involved.”
People who are active in their community are essential, especially in the face of budget cuts to important services like local libraries and community centres, said Lowri.
“It’s true a lot of services that were there a few years ago aren’t now” said Lowri, “which makes community cohesion even more important.”
The workshop will also encourage people who aren’t already doing things in their local area to get involved.
“Everyone, we think, should be doing things in their community or doing things outside,” said the Wales Manager of Grow Wild, Maria Golightly.
All the research points to outdoors activities being good for you, said Maria, and the session will showcase the best ways to spend time in nature.
Outdoor pursuits can help to reduce stress by using up excess hormones and relaxing your nervous system, said a report by mental health charity, Mind.
Guests at next week’s event will be inspired to use spending time outdoors to fight against feelings of fatigue that affect many people who give up their time to do unpaid work in the community.
Want to get involved in your local community? Here are all of the Grow Wild projects improving public spaces in Cardiff
Admire the 65 metre wildflower border planted by scouts as part of 29th Grow Wild.
Young Carers transform a disused courtyard with the Time 2 Grow project.
Create a sensory native wildflower garden with Grow Together at Insole Court.
A theater company is protecting green spaces in their area with Wild Adamsdown.
Learn more about healing weeds and fungi with Seeds and Spores.
Improve vandalised public spaces and join in with Canton Grows Wild.
Fitzalan High School is encouraging its students to learn more about wildflowers with their Bug Beds project.
We all know spending time outside is good for you, but what is ecotherapy?
Ecotherapy means connecting with nature by taking part in outdoor activities, but it can also mean taking part in organised sessions run by a therapist.
According to a paper by leading mental health charity, Mind, ecotherapy can improve mental and physical wellbeing.
Ways to enjoy nature as a part of your daily routine from Mind:
- Go for a walk outside
- Grow plants on your windowsill
- Download and listen to recordings of natural sounds, like waves crashing on the sand
- Join a local food growing project
- Put up a bird box or create a hedgehog house
- Do household tasks, like ironing, in front of a window