A two-year project to encourage people to access outdoor spaces to improve their overall health and wellbeing is nearing the end of its engagement period. The pioneering project has been run by a thriving partnership between Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Energize STW with support from both local authorities in our County.

 

Sharon Smith, Green Social Prescribing Officer leading the project, recently hosted an event to celebrate the successes, share the learnings, and demonstrate how links between social prescribing within the health system and community activity providers in green spaces have improved over the last two years. 

Sharon Smith with Ashia Miah from Shropshire and Telford United Women’s Association The event attracted people working in a range of health and wellbeing roles across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.

A series of guest speakers, including Healthy Lives Advisor and #TogetherWeMove Champion, Abi Lowe-Werrell, Ashia Miah from Shropshire and Telford United Women’s Association and Adrian Payne from Telford Mind, shared their experience about how the project has improved the wellbeing and lives of local people and the wider health benefits of accessing green spaces and activities.

Sharon said:

“Although the project has achieved so much in understanding the barriers that members of our diverse communities face in accessing green spaces, we have evidenced a clear need for more Local, Low Cost and Low Level initiatives."

"These are needed to support people to improve their physical health and wellbeing through moving more and connecting with nature.” 

 

The event was well-attended by Healthy Lives Advisors from both Shropshire and Telford NHS, Social Prescribers from GP surgeries, and representatives from the voluntary, charity and social enterprise sector such as Community Resource and Hands Together Ludlow, and Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Councils.

 

As well as being a platform to share and celebrate the successes of the project, attendees were exposed to some nature connectedness activities experiencing first-hand the benefits a short time moving within a green space can impact on individuals' physical and mental wellbeing. Thanks goes to Field Studies Council in Preston Montford for allowing our event to take place in their beautiful surroundings.

 

You can find out more about the two-year project and its achievements here, including new information guides for nine free, green spaces to explore and enjoy in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.