Cain Scringemour
Nature and wellbeing service
A natural way to wellbeing
Created by Standby Productions for The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Greater Manchester and North Merseyside.
About our sessions
Enjoy new sessions every week, lead by one of our trained members of staff. These sessions can help you to take steps to improve your health and wellbeing, meet new people, learn more about nature and the outdoors and enhance your CV.Â
Face-to-face sessions
A great way to enjoy getting back outside in a safe and relaxed environment. Meet in small groups once a week at one of our COVID-secure locations to enjoy a range of activities aimed at supporting wildlife and helping you to feel happier and healthier.
Dirtworks (Practical conservation for 11-24 years old)
These practical conservation sessions are ideal for young people aged 11+ looking to get some volunteering experience.
Sessions run from 10am - 12pm every Saturday at Brockholes Nature Reserve.
Rainham RSPB Reserve, Rainham, Essex, UK. Reed bed with reedmace (Typha sp) and high-speed train. - Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
Travel
We can pay travel expenses – car mileage and public transport fares up to £5 per session and we can help with travel training if people require this; we can guide people step by step through how to get to sessions.
Preston
Our Preston hub is at the beautiful Brockholes Nature Reserve where you'll get stuck in with helping with conservation, learning about wildlife and do some DIY.
Blackburn with Darwen
Myplace manages the beautiful greenhouses in Witton Country Park, where you'll get to learn horticultural skills and some woodworking too!
Burnley
In Burnley, we've been transforming the garden at the Chai Centre into a wonderful place for food growing and wildlife to be used by the local community.
Chorley Allotment Nature and Wellbeing group with their new herb spiral
Chorley
Our Chorley sessions are based at Crosse Hall Lane Allotments, where you'll be able to help out managing our allotment and learning horticultural and nature skills.
Greater Manchester
We have hubs at the lovely Philips Park in Bury, and at Seven Acres Nature Reserve in Bolton. Come along and experience nature away from the hustle and bustle of every day life.
How sessions work
Weekly sessions, led by a fully trained member of staff will take place each week.
The activities and themes will vary session to session dependent on the season and group, but will all relate back to at least one of the five ways to wellbeing - Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Learn and Give.
In 2023 The Wildlife Trusts published a report examining the benefit that nature and wellbeing services can have to support the NHS, finding that services like ours could save the NHS over £635 million a year.
Activities relate to five key themes
Click through the different sections below for examples of some of the activities you might expect to do at a nature & wellbeing session.
Wildlife walks
Spending time in nature can be very relaxing, providing time to reflect, unwind or kindle new friendships. Walking is also an excellent way to keep fit and active which has also been shown to improve a person's wellbeing. Whilst our walks might be more of a mindful activity we also include activities like foraging and looking for wildlife.
Bushcraft
Learning new skills, trying new things and sharing knowledge and experiences can be a fantastic way to improve your wellbeing. Activities might include fire lighting, wood working and making homes for nature.
Gardening projects
Not only benefiting wildlife and communities, gardening projects can also offer the opportunity to make new discoveries, learn new skills and relax. Activities also include cooking freshly picked fruit and vegetables over an open fire.Â
Practical conservation
Encouraging people to keep active, learn new skills and make positive changes for wildlife and wild spaces. Practical conservation work can also benefit the wider community and help people to feel like more valued members of society. Activities might include balsam bashing, dead hedging and tree planting.Â
Mindful environments
Taking time to step away from technology and be in the moment can do wonders for mental wellbeing. It can be as simple as taking a few deep breaths. We might do some mindful drawing or stop for a while and take notice of our surroundings.
Other opportunities in nature & wellbeing
Cain Scringemour
Wild Wellbeing Days
A team day with a twist, led by our friendly and experienced team. Wild Wellbeing Days are designed specifically to improve the mental health and wellbeing of all those involved.
Seeing my team happy and relaxed gave me a great sense of achievement.
Spokesperson, SiemensÂ
NHS staff at a Myplace taster session
Myplace participants planting fresh vegetables
Learning bushcraft is a great way to reconnect with nature and the outdoors
Myplace were delighted to receive the Partnership Working/Co-Production Award at the first national, Children and Young People Mental Health Awards Ceremony in JanuaryÂ
Hubs encourage participants to work in teams and socialise with each other in a relaxed environment
Alice Singleton
Participants from Al Hayat Language School in Blackburn spending time by the canal
