Nature’s Tonic Project

The Nature’s Tonic project piloted an approach to increasing outdoor activity and a ‘connection with nature’ to improve the mental health and wellbeing of less active people in the North Devon community. This was a partnership project between North Devon UNESCO Biosphere, North Devon AONB and North Devon Voluntary Service.

The project was designed to complement social prescribing activity being piloted across three GP areas in North Devon. We worked with, and supported, existing groups to use green and blue spaces within and near to their communities, to provide this ‘connection with nature’ and more outdoor activities. This was done through training staff and volunteers, taster sessions, matchmaking groups and spaces, making connections, providing information and training nature guides.

Evidence from local organisations identified the barriers and constraints on outdoor activity for organisations offering services and opportunities for less mobile clients and those referred through social prescribing.

The physical and mental health benefits of experiencing blue/green spaces have been widely proven, including the cost benefit for people, health services and the economy of reducing health inequalities. The project explored whether the statutory, voluntary and community sectors can be enabled and supported to increase their use of the natural environment and help people to connect with nature. The knowledge from our teams and environment/land managers was shared with organisers within the community.