The positive power of nature
11th April 2023
Republished with kind permission of Essex Life.
Essex is blessed with beautiful countryside and an extraordinary coastline, making it the perfect county to appreciate all year round.
With Spring in the air bringing a promise of warmer weather and a sense of renewal there is an extra incentive to make the most of all that Essex has to offer, from a simple stroll, a picnic on the beach or just enjoying bird song in our own gardens.
The benefits of being in natural surroundings for work or pleasure are well documented and over the past 12 months Essex Community Foundation (ECF) has given grants to a wide range of charities and voluntary groups that are helping people to enjoy nature, develop new skills and improve their mental health.
Such groups make a huge difference to the lives of many people throughout Essex, offering companionship, encouraging them to keep fit and healthy, giving the chance to learn new skills and spend productive time on practical activities.
Trust Links is a shining example of a local charity which helps people to connect with nature and reap all the benefits this can bring. The charity works in South Essex and helps to improve people’s mental health and well-being through a range of activities including therapeutic gardening, recovery classes, social activities and employment training.
Matt King, CEO of Trust Links, said: “If we take care of the environment, it takes care of us. Our practices and projects reflect this, and we see first-hand every day the transformative power of nature.
“We bring people together to build relationships and do something practical and hands on to take their minds off day-to-day concerns and worries. Gardening gives them a positive reason to leave their homes and to come back time and time again.
“Our Growing Together gardens are at the heart of how we help people experiencing mental health problems. We have five therapeutic gardens where we people experience positive change for their mental and physical health through outdoor gardening activities.”
The Beacon Shed in Thundersley is another charity making a difference by bringing people together to help their wellbeing.
One of many similar projects across Essex, it provides a welcoming meeting place where like-minded men can keep busy making, mending and repairing items and objects and work on projects for themselves, friends, family and the wider community. It is also somewhere that they can have conversations over a cup of tea or share their concerns, while also passing on workshop skills mostly derived from their previous occupations.
Also promoting the benefits of fruitful activity and new opportunities is the educational charity Abberton Rural Training (ART), which has been given a recent boost for its work in Braintree with a grant from ECF.
ART provides education and training in a range of land-based studies including horticulture, woodlands and land management, construction and rural skills. The charity also has support services for its clients, including fully trained mental health and well-being counsellors and advocacy assistance.
Many of ART’s clients are vulnerable and isolated, people with special education needs, wounded and injured service personnel and victims of domestic violence. The power of horticulture, gardening and animal husbandry are all used to help such people build their confidence and skills and move into employment.
Caroline Taylor, chief executive of Essex Community Foundation said: “The grants we give to charities across Essex are all about making a difference and improving people’s lives. Our donors have a wide range of interests, and we are pleased to support voluntary organisations and charities who do such sterling work, offering people the opportunity to learn valuable skills and be involved in activities bringing them closer to nature.”
ECF gave £4.4 million in grants last year on behalf of its donors. They can help you give back to your local community and to the causes you’re passionate about. Call 01245 355947 or give now.