Nature prescribed for health and wellbeing in a new scheme for the West Midlands

The new project is providing training and sharing resources between the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and healthcare professionals across the WMCA to launch "RSPB Nature Prescriptions", which encourage people to connect with the natural world to boost their wellbeing.

It is a free to use, non-medical approach based on accessible, self-led activities that people can do from home, on their own or with others.

RSPB Nature Prescriptions involve a guided conversation with a healthcare professional which is supported by a booklet of seasonal ideas and suggestions to help people explore ways of connecting to nature that are personal and meaningful to them. 

Through a strengthened connection to nature, the RSPB said it hopes this will also lead to people involved having a lasting appreciation for nature and a desire to nurture and act to protect it.

A spokesman for the RSPB said: "Evidence shows that spending time in nature can reduce stress and help with conditions like anxiety and depression and give physical benefits such as reducing blood pressure and boosting our immune system. 

"Research has also shown that simply noticing nature, the changing colours of leaves in autumn or watching a sunset from a window, can help us to feel better."

The launch in the West Midlands follows successful projects that have been rolled out in other parts of the UK since 2022, right across Scotland, England and now Wales. 

In the Edinburgh pilot project, more than 74 per cent of participants said they benefitted from their Nature Prescription and 87 per cent said they would continue using nature for their wellbeing.

Thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, more than 40 healthcare providers in the West Midlands have already received training and free booklets for the people they support, and the RSPB said it is welcoming more professionals to take part, particularly those based in Sandwell, Walsall, and Birmingham. 

This includes a range of people working in healthcare, for example GPs, social prescribing link workers and others.

Materials and resources will be provided for the most nature-deprived and overlooked communities in the West Midlands. 

Alongside the standard booklet that’s given, co-design sessions are taking place to offer different types of resources to reflect the diversity of those receiving them, which include resources for group settings, easy-read, and an audio format.

Alexis Johnson, RSPB Nature and Wellbeing Officer, said: “I’ve personally benefited from connecting to nature during challenging moments of my own life, and I am eager to share its potential with so many others. 

"We are thrilled to be working with passionate healthcare professionals with all of them providing person-centred care in our local communities.

“Nature is all around us and we’re a part of it; listening to birdsong or feeling a cooling breeze on a warm day can truly lift our spirits.”

Anne Glover, Recovery Improvement Lead at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: "I am really excited to be working with Experts by Experience to facilitate a Recovery College group session based on RSPB Nature Prescriptions. 

"We completed our training session in April, and it was lovely to see how passionate and inspired everyone is. 

"We have developed a fun, interactive session based on the RSPB resources to create an exciting session. 

"We've already fully booked out the places for this August session, so it's clear to see there's appetite."

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “I am delighted that players of People’s Postcode Lottery are supporting this innovative project. 

"Nature has a powerful role to play in improving our wellbeing, and it’s vital that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from that, regardless of their background or circumstances. 

"It’s inspiring to see healthcare professionals in the West Midlands embracing Nature Prescriptions and helping communities connect with the natural world in such meaningful ways.”

To find out more about RSPB Nature Prescriptions, visit the website.