Regular Wild Ways Well Events
Join us for our free Wild Ways Well events led by TCV Scotland.
We are offering free gentle nature and wellbeing sessions are part of our Wild Ways Well project, providing opportunities for people to spend time outdoors, experience the greenspaces in the local area and the natural world around them, and realise the many ways the natural world can be accessed and experienced, quickly and easily, with minimal cost, equipment or experience.
From nature groups to nature walks, our Wild Ways Well activities support patients, staff and visitors to St John’s to access and experience the natural spaces, species and activities that are on their doorstep.
Find out more about regular weekly sessions below and keep an eye on social media for some exciting seasonal events for you to take part in:
- St John’s Nature and Wellbeing Group
(closed group for NHS patients)
Mondays 1-4pm
Contact Paul Barclay for details - St John’s Pentland Court Garden Group
(Closed group for NHS patients)
Wednesdays 10-1pm
Contact Paul Barclay for details - Regular Staff Sessions
(Closed sessions for NHS staff)
Contact Paul Barclay for details - Walled Garden Wellbeing Group
(open group for the public)
Help us to look after the garden – and yourself! We undertake a variety of tasks to help make the garden an even better place for people and wildlife, while also spending time learning about the nature that is all around us, getting arty, and relaxing in this beautiful green space.
Thursdays 1-4pm
Contact Paul Barclay for details - Noticing Nature Wellbeing Walk
(open group for the public).
This is not a about marching from A to B, it’s about taking the slow road, and noticing the nature around us as we walk. Every week we take a gentle stroll around the area, look for seasonal nature highlights, and chat about what we see.
Fridays 1-3.30pm
Contact Paul Barclay for details - Public sessions
Public sessions also run regularly at weekends and evenings throughout the year
Contact Paul Barclay for details
Want to know more?
To find out more, or join one of our sessions, contact Paul Barclay – [email protected] or call 07795 800 970
What is Wild Ways Well
Wild Ways Well is a health and wellbeing project operating in Livingston’s Howden and Ladywell areas. It is run by TCV (The Conservation Volunteers) in partnership with Ladywell Neighbourhood Network and St John’s Hospital and funded by NHS Lothian Charity and the National Lottery Community Fund. It aims to demonstrate what most of us already know instinctively – spending time outdoors, amongst nature, makes people feel better about themselves and their lives.
It can be especially helpful for issues such as depression, anxiety, low confidence and social isolation, but it can help anyone to live a happier, healthier life. Mental health issues can affect anyone and we should all take steps to look after our mental health as part of our daily routine.
As part of Wild Ways Well, you can take part in free sessions to help you get out into your local greenspaces to experience all the amazing things that can be found right on your doorstep. Whilst out amongst the trees and parks you will get a chance to slow down, relax, enjoy being in the company of other like-minded people, and participate in a variety of environmental and conservation related activities.
Wild Ways Well is structured around the Five Ways to Wellbeing, a proven framework for promoting good mental health in use by organisations all over the world, including the NHS and the major UK mental health charities. The Five Ways to Wellbeing are a simple way of thinking about our mental health, they suggest five easy actions – Be Active, Take Notice, Connect, Keep Learning and Give – which we can all take to improve our happiness in our daily lives.
Wild Ways Well takes the Five Ways and adapts them to an outdoor environment.
Example activities might include learning about trees, plants and wildlife; practising traditional outdoor skills; taking part in conservation activities like wildflower planting or invasive species removal; getting creative with photography, drawing, sculpting or storytelling; taking part in citizen science activities like wildlife recording – and simply enjoying being outdoors in natural spaces with good company.
Wild Ways Well is not a replacement for more formal forms of therapy or medication but instead should be seen as a complement to a healthy lifestyle that could benefit anyone. You don’t need any special equipment or knowledge to join us, just a willingness to step outdoors and see where the path leads you.