Mersey Forest
City: Liverpool
Project: Natural Health Service - Forest Bathing
This project is a collaboration between GroundsWell, The Mersey Forest, Journey’s in Nature, The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Everton in the Community. The project delivers multiple Forest Bathing practice interventions to two separate cohorts; NHS staff who are currently on sick leave from work, and adults within the community who are registered on Everton in the Community’s mental health support service. The Forest Bathing sessions take place within the Bluebell Woodland attached to the NHS Aintree University Hospital. Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku in its native Japanese) is a practice that promotes wellbeing through immersing one’s senses (sight, sound, touch, smell etc) in the atmosphere of a natural environment e.g. woodland. Research shows that spending time connecting to nature in this way can provide an array of health benefits including reduced feelings of stress, depression and anxiety, lower blood pressure, boosting the immune system & improved concentration. The sessions comprise of moving slowly in silence through the woodland over the course of an hour, covering no more than a mile, stopping to observe and explore the natural environment using all senses. The forest bathing guide will offer guided exercises to aid engagement with the senses e.g. noticing colours, patterns, textures. Participants are also guided through a sensory awareness exercise while sitting, standing or lying under the tree canopy. They are then invited to feedback on their experience in sharing circles throughout the session. Aligned with the GroundsWell Innovation Fund's mission of supporting community-driven innovation, this project fosters personal growth and community cohesion - by focusing on at-risk populations and aims to positively impact the health and wellbeing of people with chronic conditions like prolonged stress or burnout by providing the correct tools to manage stress, and support NHS staff to return to work.
