Wilder Ways to Wellbeing

Young girl reeds - David Tipling/2020VISION

Image by: David Tipling/2020VISION

Will you help young people feel healthier with nature?

Children in the North East are spending less time in nature

According to Natural England reports, children in our communities are amongst the least likely to spend time with nature or experience the benefits of nature connectivity in their school and home lives. As well as the physical benefits of exercising outdoors, such as lowering BMI (good for the childhood obesity crisis), there are definite mental health benefits of time spent in nature. People feel calmer and more able to focus. Key outdoor learning benefits for young people are increased confidence and self-esteem, team work and improved communications skills, which all help educational attainment and life satisfaction. And of course, the more connected people are to nature, the more they want to protect it. Good for people. Good for planet.

What needs to happen?

Wilder Ways to Wellbeing is NWT’s education team’s new approach to connect young people with nature through supporting and empowering schools to embed nature in the classroom and the curriculum. Rather than trying to deliver all nature sessions ourselves - a rather tough task which would need a team of 20! – we recognise that it is more efficient and sustainable to share knowledge, skills and resources to enable educators to confidently deliver their own tailored plans.

To kick this off, we are asking for you to please donate to the Wilder Ways to Wellbeing Appeal, which is match funded by The Big Give, the UK’s largest online giving platform. Launching on Thursday 20^th April – Thursday 27^th April, any donations via The Green Match Fund appeal page will be doubled by the Reed foundation, meaning your donation will have twice the impact!

Double your donation

Children on bikes - Peter Cairns/2020VISION — Image by: Peter Cairns/2020VISION

Wilder Ways to Wellbeing Appeal

This project involves partnerships with five schools so we can tailor-make educational programmes that will help improve health, wellbeing and learning through a range of school and family activities. We want everyone to benefit from the health benefits that regular access to nature brings.

Your donation to Northumberland Wildlife Trust will help deliver vital help in our region, such as:-

Expanding environmental knowledge, providing resources and equipment
Upskilling educators to feel confident to include outdoor learning into everyday practice
Improving school grounds for outdoor learning
Providing 22 free school holiday sessions to help whole families connect with local green spaces and learn about nature and climate

A better tomorrow starts today – please donate to help bring nature to those who need it the most. Thank you.

Double your donation

Reduced stress

Spending time in nature has been found to reduce levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Research suggests that exposure to nature can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is associated with feelings of anxiety and tension.

Improved cognitive function

Studies have found that spending time in nature can improve cognitive function, including memory, attention, and creativity. Researchers believe that exposure to natural environments may help to restore mental fatigue and improve cognitive performance.

Increased physical activity

Spending time in nature often involves physical activity, such as hiking or gardening, which can have numerous health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of obesity and diabetes.

Improved mood and happiness

Exposure to natural environments has been found to increase feelings of happiness and well-being. Researchers believe that spending time in nature can boost mood by increasing levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of happiness and well-being.

Pledge to double you donation

The match goes live at midday on 20th April, 2023. Want to be one of the first to have your donation doubled? Sign up below to pledge to give and we'll make sure you're the first to hear.

Pledge to give and we’ll keep you updated as soon as we go live.