.png)
Soul Trail Wellbeing C.I.C is a not-for-profit organisation delivering free walks and nature-based interventions to the community, to help improve mental health and wellbeing. All walks and programmes are funded, meaning people can attend the projects and access transport to locations without charge. Directors, Leanne Anyinsah and Enrico Temple, are keen to promote inclusivity and aim to improve mental health - welcoming people from all ages and backgrounds providing a safe space to talk, enjoy nature and connect with others. Attendees from soul trail wellbeing sessions have significantly felt reduced stress and anxiety, increased confidence and connected with nature. The questionnaires evidenced that attendees’ moods have on average improved by 60% from one single walk.
Soul Trail have been established for two years, delivering 10 different projects, supporting over 200 people in the Newport and Bristol community, allowing more people to connect with nature and improving mental and physical health. At least 70% of the attendees are from a minority background and/or have poor mental health. Partnerships so far have included the NHS, National Lottery, Green Social Prescribing/ doctor surgeries, Newport City Council, Sport England, Westport and the Nature Well Academy. It has been evidenced that there can be huge health benefits to being outdoors and connected with nature. Scientific evidence has shown that walking and being connected with nature can:
o Improve mood
o Decrease stress o Reduce anxiety and depression
o Boost our immune systems o Increase fitness levels
o Reduce blood pressure o Increase vitamin absorption.
What do they offer?
With Leanne’s skills as a psychotherapist and group facilitator, with Enrico’s Marine and firefighter outdoor skills/experience with the outdoors – Soul Trail walks add a unique twist to what you would usually encounter with other walking groups. Through incorporating the 5 ways to wellbeing recommended by the NHS, Soul Trail aim to encourage people to:
• Connect: helping people connect with nature and each other through talking, supporting and team exercises/nature-based activities .
• Be Active: through moving and walking
• Be Present: mindfulness, reflection and grounding exercises
• Learn new skills: mental health awareness (psycho education) and outdoor skills including foraging, hiking and learning about wildlife
• Give to others: encouraging teamwork within groups, empowering walkers to build confidence leading a group or sharing their own skills. Leanne shared, “getting outdoors, connecting with nature and talking with other people has a huge impact on my own mental health. Enrico and I love what we do, because nature gives back to us – we have such a passion to help other people benefit from nature, and its working!
The demand has been amazing”. Projects currently include: - NHS 6-week Nature
Programme - Womens mindfulness walks - Mens walks & talk - Hikes - Parent/carer wellbeing walks - Youth offending team nature workshops - Diabetes Improvement programme.
Where it all began:
In the midst of the pandemic, co-founder Leanne was working as mental health lead in the fire service, as well as a psychotherapist. As with many of us, she had to make the transition from face-to-face counselling into delivering sessions online. Although this was a great initiative for some and offered flexibility, for others this meant further isolation and less support. Leanne was also at her busiest period working with trauma and supporting those with poor mental health. To promote her own wellbeing in the midst of crisis work, and to stay connected with others/the outdoors, she met for family walks every Saturday morning – rain or shine! One evening after delivering counselling sessions, she reflected on how often her clients benefitted from being outdoors and connecting with nature. She spoke with her friend about an idea of facilitating outdoor groups to support mental health, but wasn’t aware of anybody offering this, or how to execute the idea on her own. The very next morning a friend and colleague, firefighter Enrico, rang and said, “I have this idea of getting people outside to support their mental health, and I knew I had to speak to you”!! The rest is history! Working together with their unique set of skills and adding a spin to an average walk, through providing opportunities to talk, learn about nature, connect and learn skills to help with improving wellbeing, they gave up their spare time volunteering to provide free walks to the community.
Co-Founder: Leanne Anyinsah
connected people from a range of different ethnic backgrounds, ages, and fitness abilities – forming friendships and connecting with nature. People kept asking for more! Through hard work, time and research they became directors of Soul Trail Wellbeing CIC and secured funding for a minibus to provide free transport from inner city to the countryside. They quickly built strong connections with communities and organisations in Bristol.
Founder: Enrico Temple
Soul Trail Wellbeing have a vision to provide everyone, with the opportunity to reconnect with nature, and hope to deliver more projects to the South Wales community. They are currently looking for further funding in Wales and are hoping to expand by developing a nature agency, offering free one-to-one outdoor therapy and group hikes, mindfulness walks and nature programmes.
I never thought I would have made it up Penyfan, with support from Soul Trail I am so proud of myself. What an achievement – ticked off my bucket list!
Comments