Based at the Petrus’ community garden, PIER, Jo supports individuals towards improved wellbeing through engagement with nature. We had a chat with Jo to find out more about how and why she does it! What is the role of a Social Therapeutic Horticultural Practitioner? The purpose of my role is to support individuals on their…Read More »

Salford Loaves and Fishes are a local charity who support the homeless, isolated and vulnerable, in Salford and the surrounding area. Every Friday morning the centre runs a ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) course which sees people from different nationalities come together to develop their English reading, writing and speaking skills in a…Read More »

Hannah is now at Allotment Support Worker at Manchester Mind but started off as a volunteer. Below she shares her story and the role nature plays in her own mental health: I began working with Manchester Mind as allotment support volunteer, which came about through a confluence of circumstance, timing, and training and generally things…Read More »

Nature for Health attended the Greater Manchester Green Summit on the 9th December 2024 at The Lowry Theatre. Hosted by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, the event provided Nature for Health partners with the opportunity to network with organisations, charity partners and individuals who value green spaces and understand the intrinsic relationship between nature and…Read More »

Located on 160-acres of meadows and woodland in Oldham, the Northern Roots project is harnessing the land to benefit people, planet and place. In the coming years, the site will become the UK’s largest urban farm and eco. A key pillar of the project is the Natural Health Service, which was set up in 2023…Read More »

The Wildlife Trust’s Nature & Wellbeing programmes empower people and their communities to connect with local environments to learn new skills, build resilience, meet new people and improve their physical health and mental wellbeing. In Greater Manchester, programmes are delivered from Philips Park in Bury, and at Seven Acres Nature Reserve in Bolton. Weekly sessions,…Read More »

Taking part in a nature-based activity can be a little daunting if you’ve never done it before. In this article, the Petrus team explain the steps they take to make people feel comfortable on their first visit to the PIER community allotment in Rochdale. Upon arrival the team reassure people joining the session that absolutely…Read More »

‘START’ is a Salford-based charity that has been delivering mental health recovery and prevention services for over 30 years. This year they have come on board as a Nature for Health partner and will be delivering a series of green social prescribing activities from their beautiful community garden at Brunswick House. The charity has been…Read More »

Northern Roots is a transformative project creating the UK’s largest urban farm and eco park on 160-acres of previously neglected land in Oldham, Greater Manchester. They set up their Natural Health Service in 2023 and have established referring partnerships with a local GP practice, Oldham Public Health, Turning Point and Get Oldham Working. Most participants…Read More »

Groundwork Greater Manchester have partnered with Pennine Care’s Early Intervention Teams in Brinnington, Stockport to deliver a Green Social Prescribing Programme with adults suffering from mental health issues. Sessions were held at the Green Thumbs Allotment in Brinnington, providing a familiar outdoor environment for participants to unwind and interact with the nature around them. Sessions were held…Read More »