Health and Wellbeing

NLCF logo

Wild Health is currently funded by the players of the National Lottery through the National Lottery Community Fund until  December 2025. It was previously funded until March 22, through the Integrated Care Fund via Welsh Government.

Wild Health was developed and piloted during 2017 across Gwent, with support from the Co-Operative fund, and went from strength to strength. The current project continues to build on the pilot, offering recreational, social and work based outdoor opportunities for people who may benefit physically and emotionally from nature based activities.

Recent funding from The National Lottery Community Fund means that in addition to the project running for a further three years - therefore giving thousands more people around Gwent access to nature - Wild Health Officer Ian Thomas has been joined in the project by a new Wild Health Officer namely, Rose O'Hagan.

Integrated Wellbeing Network film about our Wild Health project and featuring our Gwent Wildlife Trust Wild Health officer Ian Thomas and Caerphilly Wellbeing Friends

 Wild Health nature walk

About us

Wild Health is working in partnership with organisations across Gwent to provide inclusive access to the project. There is a real demand and desire for outdoor provision from groups and individuals who up until now haven’t experienced long term engagement and support from outdoor providers. Wild Health has been working with mental health and local delivery groups such as; Adferiad and Platfform, Mind Monmouthshire, Ty Gwyn, Rewild Families, Goldtops, Early Intervention Service, Girls Aloud, Newport People First, Blaenau Gwent / RCT People First, Coleg Gwent, Integrated Autism Service, Aderyn, Bridges Monmouth and GP referral group.

Gwent Wildlife Trust is proactively engaging with the health and well-being needs of local communities by running regular workdays and recreational activities at nature reserves, in local green spaces and in our wild places. These are geared towards, and are highlighting, improvements in health and well-being derived from engagement with the natural world. As well as the environmental and therapeutic benefits, the project is also supporting with other issues people are tackling such as confidence, self esteem, social isolation and employability.

    The things I have learned with Ian and the people that I have met in the sessions have calmed me. No longer am I walking through an area in nature and just being stuck within my mind, now I’m stopping to look at the nature around me, the wildflower, the insects, the trees and every aspect around them.
    Connor
    Wild Health Project participant

    Wild Health - Our Impact

    Wild Health litter pick

    National Lottery Heritage Fund

    Wild Health

    Litter Picking Wild Health

    Wild Health is increasing levels of community participation in nature conservation and recreation

    Wild Health project officer Ian Thomas (in the centre/facing) leading a nature walk

    Pauline Carter

    People with mental and physical health problems are attending sessions to improve their well-being

    Otter holt - Andy Rouse/2020VISION

    Andy Rouse/2020VISION

    We are working with communities to help them understand and appreciate wildlife

    Wild Health participants on a nature walk

    Pauline Carter

    Wild Health is increasing collaboration and partnership working with organisations across Gwent

    Get involved

    For more information or to express and interest in taking part as an individual or with your community group, please get in contact through the form below or by emailing ithomas@gwentwildlife.org or rohagan@gwentwildlife.org

    CAPTCHA This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.