Here is a link to an interview with Canadian Psychiatrist Dr. Shimi Kang about the benefits of nature and why she prescribes it for people suffering from mental health issues.
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Tag: Mental Health
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BTCV (or TCV) Green Gyms Under Threat?
Today I attended a meeting with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, or The Conversation Volunteers (TCV) as they are now known (I still haven’t looked into the purpose of the re-branding) about their ‘Green Gym’ projects.
The idea behind the Green Gym is that you work on a TCV project for exercise and improve the environment at the same time. It is about being physically active and contributing to your local environment. In my experience of the Green Gyms local to Wakefield – Eastmoor, Lupset and Hemsworth, they offer much more than this. A place to be, people to be with, a role and healthy eating to name a few.
I am under the impression, but not quite sure why, that the funding for the Green Gym projects runs out in April 2013. I might be wrong, I hope I am.
In the current financial climate often many vulnerable people do not having the funding to access paid day services, so places like the Green Gym, which do not charge directly are invaluable to people. What we need is more like this, rather than less. Did someone mention “Big Society”?
I believe they are in a consultation process with services and service users at the moment as to how to take the project forward so I encourage you, if you have had any involvement or suggestions to get in contact with them.
Here’s hoping they continue as they are a much needed and valued.
The Conservation Volunteers: http://www.tcv.org.uk
Green Gym: http://www.tcv.org.uk/greengym
Find a Green Gym near you: http://www.tcv.org.uk/greengym/find-green-gym
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Gardening Leave
Interesting article on the Guardian website about urban farms and community gardens and the health benefits they bring. The author suggests people taking an extra day off work as ‘gardening leave’ and invest that time in urban gardening.
The user comments at the bottom are not so favourable, but I generally find with all news items that you can comment on, regardless of the subject, it is rarely overwhelmingly positive.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/10/growing-appeal-national-gardening-leave
The Horticultural Therapist 