What is Green Social Prescribing?
Green social prescribing is a way of connecting people to nature-based activities and green groups, projects and schemes in their local community to help their health and wellbeing.
In Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, Green social prescribing is called ‘GreenSpace’ and is focused on improving people’s mental health. Green providers, social prescribers, voluntary organisations and community initiatives help connect people with nature-based activities, helping everyone to feel better.
Evidence shows that being more connected to nature and, through doing this, connecting with other people helps us experience lower levels of stress, fatigue and anxiety. Green social prescribing is a growing movement which carries this principle forward, providing much-needed support to people who are struggling with their mental health, by connecting them with community groups and local green initiatives for practical and emotional support.
How to get Green Social Prescribing?
Often this will be through a referral from a Social Prescribing Link Worker based at a GP practice or another primary care professional.
Watch this film about the service run by Framework – Nature in Mind at St Ann’s allotments, supporting people to overcome barriers that have a negative impact on their lives including confidence, social isolation or health problems.
Finding Our Way Podcast: Rich Chapman on Grief and Healing through Climbing…
Richard Chapman is a climber and mountaineer who is changing the way trauma is treated in mainstream healthcare. He has lived experience of trauma and PTSD, following the death of his first child. As time went by, Richard saw more stories in the news and on social media about the health benefits of being in the outdoors – which made him reflect on how the outdoors and climbing had helped him recover.
He’s passionate about helping other people access the benefits of climbing for their health and wellbeing and is now at the forefront of new NHS trials of ‘social prescribing’, where patients can be offered non-medical, community-based interventions – including climbing – as a pathway to recovery and hope.
