This is a Guest Article by Jenny Redell, My Place Volunteer Coordinator for the Lancashire Wildlife Trust
Myplace is a free Green Wellbeing Project working with adults and young people across the North West, run by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust in partnership with the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust.
Myplace & The 5 Ways to Wellbeing:
Connect– we work in small groups helping people connect with nature and each other. You can join a session all across the North West either online or outside in a beautiful green space local to you.
Be Active – all of our sessions (online or outside) involve an element of getting people moving. However, you do not need to be particularly fit, super skinny or strong to get involved. Our walks are short, the practical activities are varied and accessible for all and as we also offer online sessions you don’t even need to leave your house to get involved.
Take Notice – Rediscovering the small things is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Our sessions encourage you to stop and really look at wildlife, up to the sky, down to the ground or within yourself for a bit of mindfulness.
Keep Learning– You will be amazed by what you discover on a Myplace session, a new bit of information about nature and wildlife, a seemingly useless but interesting fact shared by a fellow participant, a skill that you didn’t know you had, something in common with someone in the group that leads to friendship.
Give – When you join a Myplace session you are giving something back to our world and to each other. We talk about, and take action for, wildlife; you can be part of something bigger than yourself while simultaneously supporting others through opening up about wellbeing.
“MyPlace sessions have consistently been crucial to my recovery from Depression, Anxiety and Self Isolation. They provide a non-judgemental space with people from different backgrounds. I like to think of MyPlace as a kind of living mindfulness, MyPlace sessions are about noticing the world around you, connecting with people and with nature, and giving something back both to people and nature. Myplace sessions provide you with new skills and an opportunity to come out of your shell, they help with your confidence and believing in yourself. I cannot recommend them highly enough.” Graham, Myplace Participant Preston.
For more information or to self-refer please visit: www.lancswt.org.uk/myplace
