Publish date: 30 May 2025
Service users are benefiting from getting outdoors and into nature as part of an innovative approach to mental health treatment using local allotments.
Service users of Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) are being encouraged to engage in 'green social prescribing' as part of their overall treatment and recovery plans. It gives people the opportunity to get outdoors and benefit from being in nature which is known to boost mental wellbeing.
AWP provides healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism in inpatient and community-based settings, supporting a population of around 1.8 million across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire.
It runs several allotments across the patch as part of its green prescribing approach, and the Trust’s in-house charity, Headlight, is funding new equipment, plants and flowers to support more service users to access this type of support.
Bekki Pugh, from AWP said: “We’ve seen firsthand how allotments can have a transformative impact on mental health. Whether it’s through the sense of accomplishment from growing food or the social connections made within the allotment community, these spaces have a profound effect on reducing anxiety and improving overall wellbeing.
“Spending time outdoors, in nature, can reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, and combat feelings of isolation. Allotments provide an opportunity to disconnect from digital distractions, reconnect with the earth, and focus on activities that promote mindfulness.”
The Headlight Charity supports several projects including enhancements to ward or hospital environments, staff wellbeing initiatives and purchasing of specific equipment. For more information about Headlight or to learn how you can contribute click here.
