Wild in the City Impact Report 2017

IMPACT REPORT 2017
ROOT YOURSELF IN
NATURE
www.wildinthecity.org.uk

DIRECTORS MESSAGE
2017 has been a time of sprouting and growth!
Wild in the City had a very successful year, recruiting two part time positions, launching a
Natural Health Service and our Nature Connectors programme.
From our woodland bases in Croydon, we are supported by a regular commitment from a
team of 8 volunteers.
We have engaged widely in our aims to support people living in urban areas to make
nature a meaningful part of everyday life, including consultation with 10 Downing Street,
Royal Horticultural Society, Royal Park Foundation, Colourful Radio, City Hall, London
Sport, National Park City Foundation and local community groups.
Our Nature Connectors programme was so successful it has
led to us revising our business model to recruit and train
bushcraft leaders and nature guides from within the local
community.
In 2018 we look forward to increasing our capacity with two
new posts and the launch of our Outdoor Office.
Beth Collier
Director
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ABOUT WILD IN THE CITY
Wild in the City supports wellbeing through
connection to nature in London’s wild spaces.
We offer bushcraft, traditional skills and ecotherapy
for children and adults living and working in urban
areas.
We support urban residents to feel more connected
to people and place; using the skills of our ancestors
to give a sense of belonging to communities past
and present.
We’re building a community of people who gather in
nature for fun, to learn and feel good.
Wild in the City was incorporated as a Community
Interest Company in April 2016.
Why we do what we do
Many people in cities have lost contact with nature
and what it can offer in terms of knowledge, health
and recreation. Increasingly urban lifestyles are
indoor orientated, isolating, lacking activity and
leading to poor quality relationships. Low incomes
can limit options for healthy entertainment and
recreation.
We work with residents to show how nature can
provide free activities which are fun, support health,
raise self-esteem and give a sense of meaning and
purpose in life. We aim to inspire people with ideas
and skills they can apply independently.
Wild in the City specialises in supporting people who
are unfamiliar with spending time in natural settings
and those who have an insecure attachment to
nature (“it’s dirty/it’s scary”), working with them
relationally to help them feel comfortable in natural
settings and encouraging them to see spending
time in nature as a healthy lifestyle choice.
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OUR RATIONALE
Being in nature feels good and gives us a sense of connection to something bigger than
ourselves. Spending time in nature enhances our sense of wellbeing.
One of our key aims as a therapeutic organisation is to help people develop positive
relationships in and with nature, supporting human interaction in our social worlds but
also improving our connection to nature.
Within the ideal therapeutic connection, there is a triad; ourselves, others and nature.
It is important for our wellbeing to have good relationships with others, but it is really
powerful if we also have a good relationship with nature and can enjoy relationships
with other people whilst being in nature.
Our work is underpinned by attachment theory and the importance of having a secure
base, we aim to help people develop secure attachments with people and with nature.
Nature is a part of us and we are a part of nature.
Nature is...
a book that is telling us something, if we can tune in and read the landscape
a community, we can be part of a larger conversation happening around us if we learn
the language
a significant other offering the core conditions of a secure attachment if we can
embrace intimacy with her
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"Nature is a significant other in
our lives, if we're not in touch
with nature we'll be affected by
the loss whether or not we
consciously acknowledge it"
Beth Collier, founder and Nature based Psychotherapist
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OUR ETHOS
We are assertive, boundaried and self aware.
We seek relationships with other individuals
and organisations who are assertive,
boundaried and self aware.
We treat others as we’d like to be treated,
with respect and courtesy. We are clear
communicators.
We take pride in doing our work well. We are
creative problem solvers. We enjoy mutually
beneficial relationships. We make room for
humour in our work. We do not tolerate
psychological or physical aggression.
OUR VALUES
We provide fun, informative and therapeutic
immersion in nature; helping to reconnect
people with nature in London’s green and
wild spaces.
We are therapeutic in our approach and
facilitate the development of positive
relationships in and with nature.
We see nature as an emotional support
system which can nurture our health and
wellbeing.
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Learning bushcraft and traditional skills
helps us to create a meaningful
connection with people and place, giving a
sense of belonging to a community, past
and present; and nurtures a deeper
understanding of the natural world using
the skills of our ancestors.
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OUR SERVICES
We offer a range of nature-based experiences
to help make nature a meaningful part of
everyday life, normalising contact during work
and recreation.
We keep group sizes small to allow intimacy
with nature and amongst participants.
OUR AIMS
To support the development of positive
relationships in and with nature
To promote the health promoting
characteristics of time in nature
To reintroduce traditional means for
understanding and utilising nature
To make nature a meaningful part of
everyday life
Bushcraft Traditional Skills Ecotherapy
Learning to live comfortably in
nature increases self-confidence
and resilience. We use bushcraft
to reflect on what it means to live
rather than survive.
Learning traditional skills for
utilising nature creates a
sense of belonging to
communities past and
present.
We help people develop
secure attachments with
people and with nature.
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OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS
We received funding to create two new posts
in spring 2017 and were delighted to welcome
Jenni in July, as our Engagement Manager (part
time). We benefitted from over 1200
volunteering hours in roles including;
marketing, fundraising, event organisation
and leading sessions. We're grateful to the
volunteers who supported us; Sally, Helen,
Hannah, Benedict, Dee, Anji and Richard. Our
current staff and volunteer team are below;
Beth Jenni Chibuzo
Brenda Karen Toby
Thuy
Mona
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NATURE CONNECTORS
Nature Connectors supports people from
black and minority ethnic backgrounds in
London to feel more comfortable and
confident in natural spaces, to increase their
knowledge and lead others in engaging with
nature.
In the 6 week learning experience groups
explore local green spaces, learning about
local fauna and flora, acquiring woodland
skills and connecting around the campfire for
therapeutic reflection on barriers people
from BME backgrounds experience in
accessing nature.
People from black and minority ethnic
communities are traditionally less connected
to nature in the UK and therefore miss out
on the health benefits and are less involved
in conserving and protecting green spaces.
There is a widely acknowledged underrepresentation
of black leadership within the
environmental sector.
BME people often feel unwelcome within
mainstream environmental organisations
and in green spaces, we are raising
awareness of these barriers and starting a
dialogue within the environmental sector.
Participants leave with the knowledge and
confidence to be able to lead their own
family, friends and communities in nature,
passing on the skills and experiences they
have. The training focuses on leadership in
urban parks and woodlands.
Black people are rarely presented as
knowledge holders in natural spaces in the
UK, further increasing a perception that
green spaces are not for them. We're
delighted that some of our Nature
Connectors have gone on to lead our Natural
Health Service sessions.
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Brenda's Story
“Exceeded my expectations”
Brenda started the experience feeling unsure
about contact with nature and anxious about
animals and insects. By the end of the Nature
Connectors programme she was leading our
Natural Health Service sessions sharing her
knowledge with others.
I had an amazing time in the bush...still
buzzy. Yesterday exceeded my expectations I
thoroughly enjoyed it.
I learnt to identify trees like Ash, Silver Birch,
Willow trees, Oaks etc. How to make a fire -
very exciting, how to use a saw safely, how to
make a sliding knot to adjust a canopy, also
very exciting. Found it very funny to learn
about another plan called plantain.
I enjoyed sitting with others round the fire in
the Great North Woods which I only knew
existed yesterday despite living in South
Norwood for 49 years.
I'd like to thank each of you for being part of
my journey in reconnecting and learning
about nature.
Mona's Story
“a space where people look like me”
Mona helped to co-facilitate the reflective
elements of the programme. She started out
feeling unsure but her confidence increased
as a facilitator in nature and will join us again
in this role.
I think I learnt about the complexity around
the issue of black people in nature and that
there are so many facets to it.
Also the ways in which racism intentionally or
unintentionally plays out when we are in
nature. I gained much from what people
shared about experiencing it and how they
managed it.
What I enjoyed - lots of things. The making of
the fire sharing in a space where people look
like me and can understand some of my
experiences.
Was chuffed I managed to throw the rope
through the branch!! Would never think
about attempting something like that!
Had a brilliant time today still buzzing from
it!
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NATURAL HEALTH SERVICE
In September we launched London’s first
Natural Health Service, leading a consortium
of non-profit organisations offering activities
in green spaces to support emotional,
physical and social health. The service has
the added benefit of a social prescription
element, allowing health professionals to
refer as an alternative intervention.
Aims:
• Use nature to support individual wellbeing
and the development of resilient and healthy
communities
• Relieve pressure on the NHS – addressing
both preventative and reactive healthcare
and social pressures
• Enable GPs to offer social prescriptions
We designed a new website
www.naturalhealthservice.london which is a
shared portal for accessing the Natural
Health Service.
Wild in the City offered a programme of
bushcraft and walks in South Norwood, New
Addington and Elephant and Castle, including
walks, campfire and craft sessions led by
volunteers from our Nature Connectors
programme.
In partnership with the Croydon Voluntary
Association we have formed a social
prescription network in Croydon, developing
relationships with GP’s practices. We now
have a presence in 4 surgeries, signposting
patients to non medical community based
alternatives.
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Ross's Story
“feel fortunate to have had that
time in camp, sitting, learning
and sharing”
“My Sunday had got off to a bad start,
running late and a bit grouchy, but heading
into the hidden countryside behind New
Addington soon helped me let that go.
Especially as within a few minutes of setting
out we were lucky enough to see a hunting
Kestrel hovering overhead!
It was a pleasure to spend time with
everyone, all so keen to share their
knowledge and experiences of nature, and to
work together to get the camp fire lit in the
afternoon.
I feel really fortunate to have had that time
in camp, sitting, learning and sharing and to
have been made so welcome.”
IMPACT
We evaluated our Natural Health Service pilot sessions to measure their impact. Every attendee
reported positive improvements to their wellbeing. Reasons given for enhanced indicators
included spending time in nature, learning new skills and socialising.
100
80
75
60
50
40
25
20
0
less alone
less scared
less angry
less stress
less scared
less anxious
0
more calm
more relaxed
more happy
more confident
more connected
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OUTDOOR OFFICE
In 2016 we trademarked the name Outdoor
Office and have been piloting the concept
throughout 2017.
The Outdoor Office allows people to work
comfortably in nature, attended by an 'office
manager' trained in bushcraft.
We were pleased to host Starbucks branch
managers and M&S Head Office staff at our
woodland site in South Norwood. Both groups
helped us to make furniture for the Outdoor
Office using materials sourced from the
woodland.
Starbucks
Branch Managers from Starbucks
helped us in May, we taught them
safe tool skills and they spent the
day identifying suitable materials
to create table legs for the office
desks.
M & S
Volunteers from M & S Head
Office visited in October and
painted our storage unit, built
desks for the office and set up
our wifi.
Team Meetings
As a Wild in the City staff and
volunteer team we work
remotely and meet regularly
as a full group in the
outdoors around the fire.
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LONDON NATIONAL PARK CITY
Launch of the National Park City
Foundation
Beth is a Trustee of the National Park City
Foundation which became a charity and
officially launched in October. The NPCF aims
to make London the world's first National
Park City, creating a new identity based on
our rich natural and cultural heritage.
Big Walk Around London
Beth join NPCF founder Dan Raven Ellison
on two legs of his 500km walk around
London, walking from Croydon to Bromley
and Tooting Common to Lewisham.
Urban Good Map
The National Park City Foundation
collaborated with Urban Good to produce a
map of London as depicted by its green
spaces, without roads and buildings.
Detailing the different green and blue
habitats within the city.
For your copy visit:
http://www.nationalparkcity.london/map
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COMMUNITY
Royal Parks Foundation
During 2016/17 we partnered with the Royal
Parks Foundation to deliver a 6 week Natural
Skills programme in central London at The
Look Out Education Centre in Hyde Park.
London Design Festival
We exhibited natural wicker, pine needle and
straw baskets, cedar bark containers, nettle
and bramble cordage and hand carved
spoons at the London College of
Communication's Uncertainty Playground
*SPARK exhibition, as part of the London
Design Festival.
Friends of Park Hill Park
We had a fun Family Wildcraft Day in the
park with over 50 local families, whittling,
sawing and printing with natural materials in
the park.
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CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING
Starbucks
In May branch managers from Starbucks
helped us create woodland furniture for our
outdoor office and piloted the set up, giving us
their feedback on the experience.
Marks and Spenser
In October Project Managers from Marks and
Spenser Head Office tidied and painted our
storage unit, building shelving, giving us a space
to store equipment and organise course
materials.
Get you team involved
Bring your team for a day in the woods to help us
plan, prepare and maintain community projects.
You can also support us with office tasks related
to strategy, governance, event planning and
marketing.
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ADVOCACY AND POLICY
Black Participation
A number of organisations approached us
seeking access to black participants. Not all
have wanted to reflect on why they might
find it difficult to engage with diverse
audiences, or to acknowledge our
experience in this area, taking a reductive
view of our work and seeing us merely as
being in a position to give them access to
participants who will help them meet
diversity targets. This in itself reflects a
dismissiveness with which black run
organisations can be viewed within the
sector, paralleling the wider barriers that
black people experience in encounters in
nature.
We resolved not to allow ourselves to be
used to provide 'bums on seats' for
organisations that are unwilling to explore
the reasons why they might be finding it
difficult to engage. However we welcome
direct approaches from organisations who
acknowledge our expertise and leadership in
this area and want to work to better understand
the barriers to accessing nature that people
from black communities experience.
PM's Special Advisor on the Environment
We were invited to 10 Downing Street to
discuss ways of connecting urban
communities with nature. Beth and Jenni met
with Sir John Randall, advising him on
engagement and black perspectives on
barriers to access
introducing the concept that there is a black
perspective on barriers to access connection
the role of racism in creating a barrier
raising awareness of the impact of white
environmental practitioners attitudes
towards black people and it's impact on and
experience of access and belonging
the importance of allowing black people to
be presented as knowledge holders and not
merely receivers
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ENGAGEMENT
City Hall - Green Prescribing
We presented the Natural Health Service
model at a City hall event organised by the
Mayor’s Environmental team, offering a
grassroots community led approach with
our self-sustaining model of nature
connectors leading sessions. Over coming
the challenge of competing with other
social prescribers by having a shared link
person with a presence in four GP
surgeries who can refer across different
programmes.
Friends of the Earth
Beth was featured in spring Friends of the
Earth magazine highlighting nature
champions, her story was also used to
illustrate FoE report on the impact of nature
on emotional health.
Colourful Radio
Beth was interviewed by Jacqueline Malcolm
about disconnection from nature in cities
and black presence in green spaces to
highlight the impact of our Nature
Connectors programme.
London Sport - Social Prescribing
We were invited to present the Natural
Health Service at a London Sport event
encouraging sporting bodies to think
creatively about how social prescription
programmes can make their sport
accessible to new participants of all levels
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ENGAGEMENT
Croydon Local Plan
In October it was announced that 89 sites in
Croydon were to loose their Local Green
Space designations. We wrote a policy
document for use by Friends groups in
making submissions challenging the decision.
Croydon Citizen
We wrote articles on the benefits to Croydon
of London becoming the world’s first National
Park City and announcing London’s first
Natural Health Service.
Your Croydon
Our Nature Connectors programme was
promoted through Croydon Council’s
magazine Your Croydon and local news
magazine Inside Croydon.
nutritional benefits of common garden
‘weeds.’ We ran four foraging tours of the
local Westminster area across the two day
event.
We met with Bill Oddie who kindly gave us
an interview about how people can enjoy
birdwatching on a budget.
Royal Horticultural Society
We were invited to the Royal Horticulture
Society Autumn show, running an interactive
stall teaching people about edible plants
growing in the city and the medicinal and
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WHO WE'VE WORKED WITH
We facilitated a diverse range of communities in natural settings;
Local communities
BME communities
Corporate volunteers
Passionate nature enthusiasts
People who don't traditionally visit parks
Our average group size is 6 - 8 people to
allow intimacy between participants and
with nature.
CORE ORGANISATIONAL OUTCOMES
Our work showed that attendees experienced
positive benefits in their relationship with
themselves, others and nature;
Social activity in nature supports wellbeing
and resilience
Good relationships with nature and people
are important to our health
Increased time spent in nature
Increased connection to nature
Improved sense of wellbeing
Increased number of volunteers
More visits to natural spaces
1200 405
15
volunteer
hours
people
attended our
activities
organisations
collaborated
with
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HOW YOU CAN HELP US
Support our Outdoor Office
A visit to our Outdoor Office will support young
people's training in bushcraft and business skills. A
perfect setting for contemplative, blue sky working
or bonding teams on an away day. Get in touch to
book your visit; info@wildinthecity.org.uk
Volunteer/Corporate Volunteering
Join our volunteer team and help to build a
community of people who gather in nature. We have
roles supporting both office and woodland based
activities. We provide bespoke experiences for
corporate volunteers.
Donate
Your financial support will help us deliver engaging
and transformative workshops which provide lasting
change. £12.50 provides two hours of learning for a
child, £5000 will help us run a wildcamp for local
families on low incomes. Contact us for details of
specific projects we're seeking funding for.
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F U N D I N G
We initiated and wrote two successful bids, submitted by partnership organisations
(funds released in 2017).
Natural Health Service
The consortium was awarded £30,000 over 3 years,
by Croydon Council. We're leading a consortium of
5 organisations (TCV, Good Gym, Good Food
Matters, Wheels for Wellbeing) to deliver a Natural
Health Service using activity in nature to support
emotional, physical and social health; offering
social prescriptions to reduce demand on GP’s.
£30,000
OVER 3 YEARS
Nature Connectors
Awarded £90,000 over 3 years, by Croydon
Council. We're training BME volunteers to feel
more confident in nature and lead others,
supported by Croydon BME Forum.
£90,000
OVER 3 YEARS
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THANK YOU
We'd like to thank...
Nero Ughwujabo - Croydon BME Forum
Jacqueline Malcolm - Colourful Radio
Dan Raven Ellison - National Park City Foundation
Jennine Bailey - Croydon Voluntary Association
Nell McDonald - Royal Parks Foundation
Sarah Temple - London College of Communication
Yaron Alam - Croydon Council Commissioning
Meike Weiser - Community Conservation
Partnership Officer, Croydon Council
Leona Daniels - Croydon BME Forum
Shaniqua Benjamin - Young People Insight
Alan Rowland - AN Rowland Tree Surgeon
Barry Goswell - Frylands Wood Outdoor Centre
James - All Gardening Services
Baqar Husain - Owadally and King
Amy Prowse - Owadally and King
Claudia Gold - TCV
Graeme Maynard - RHS
Sussex Innovation
Amanda McGrath - Good Food Matters
Ed Field - Good Gym
Alice Chamberlain - Wheels for Wellbeing
John Rother - South Norwood Network
Beth Calverley - Neighbourly
Tom Black - Croydon Citizen
Friends of Park Hill Park
Simon Edwards - TICL
Christian Kerrigan - Astudio
Sarah Dillingham - Case Study NInja
Marks and Spenser
Starbucks
Chibuzo Ifweke
Thuy Nguyen
Toby Kenward
Mona Lesforis
Benedict Povey
Dee Fullerton
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CONTACT & COLLABORATION
We welcome partnerships and opportunities to help people spend more time in nature.
Please get in touch for further details about our projects or to explore ideas for working
together.
info@wildinthecity.org.uk
W
www.wildinthecity.org.uk
www.naturalhealthservice.london
@wildinthecity1
wildinthecityUK
See you in the woods sometime soon!
Wild in the City team
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