With 30 Days Wild in full swing, Southern Co-op is celebrating its wildlife partnerships with several guest blog. Thanks to the Dorset Wildlife Trust for kicking things off below.

Bradbury Rings courtesy of Maria Clarke

Did you know that spending time in nature can help you be physically active, reduce your blood pressure, boost your mood, and increase your vitamin D levels?  There is increasing evidence that being in nature supports our mental wellbeing by allowing us to relax and focus on the environment around us and provides spaces to be active.

Get outside

Living in Dorset we are blessed with many opportunities to get outside – from a walk, ride or cycle in the countryside; a wander along a river, coast path, or the beach; a visit to a local park or nature reserve; playing and exploring outdoors or spending time gardening at home.  Most people have access to some form of natural space either on your own, or with family and friends (where COVID-19 restrictions allow), and it is largely free.

Alongside these informal ways of connecting to nature there are a wide range of activities to support wellbeing through nature which we can self-refer onto, be signposted to, or socially prescribed to by health professionals.  For example, a study on conservation volunteering showed a 95% improvement for attendees with low wellbeing after attending conservation volunteering activities after a period of six weeks (Essex University and The Wildlife Trusts: https://bit.ly/2vNeZ6i).

Natural Choices

The Natural Choices programme (hosted by Dorset Local Nature Partnership) brings many of these wellbeing activities together, to make it easier for you to find out what is on.  Prior to the pandemic, there were over 60 activities across Dorset including practical conservation volunteering (e.g. hedge laying and vegetation clearance), gardening, health walks, nature walks, outdoor mindfulness, gardening, Nordic Walking and Park Yoga.  Many of these activities are beginning to start up again, post lockdown, with smaller numbers to ensure they are COVID secure.  Natural Choices activities are run by organisations including Livability Holton Lee, National Trust, Dorset Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Parks Foundation, and Country Parks (including Durlson, Moors Valley, Avon Health and Upton).  Some activities are more physically demanding than others, but you can try different activities out to see what suits you and then maybe move onto something else.  The activities are a great way to meet other people and social connection is great in supporting our wellbeing.

Happy Bottom Nature Reserve © Brian Bleese

Partnering with Southern Co-op

Dorset Wildlife Trust (who hosts the Local Nature Partnership) has been working in partnership with Southern Co-op since 2018 to support nature-based wellbeing opportunities.  Under a two-year agreement, Southern Co-op generously contributed to the delivery of Dorset Wildlife Trust’s activities under Natural Choices (which were listed under Natural Sparkle).

We are excited to have agreed a further two-year agreement to continue this great work.  This includes supporting new opportunities on Brownsea Island, the Urban Green project in Bournemouth and Poole, Gillingham Royal Forest and Explore West Dorset, as well as our conservation volunteering work parties.

Get involved

Activities can support wellbeing and help to prevent ill health, so you don’t have to have poor health to get involved, you might want to get fitter or meet new people.  If you want to find out about Natural Choices activities near you search the LiveWell Dorset Finder (www.livewelldorset.co.uk) and look for the Natural Choices or logos and contact the providers, to check if the activities have started up again.  You can also be signposted to the activities by the LiveWell Dorset Wellness Coaches if you’d like some support or by health and social care professionals such as GPs or Carers Support Team.

Maria Clarke,
Dorset Local Nature Partnership Manager,
Dorset Wildlife Trust