RSPB Nature and Wellbeing Officer – Winter Round Up
The Western General has had a lively winter season, with staff, volunteers and partners helping to bring nature, connection and wellbeing to the site. Our RSPB Nature and Wellbeing Officer, Beth, has been at the heart of these activities, leading sessions that gave staff and patients opportunities to engage with the outdoors.
Seasonal Wellbeing Activities
Our festive wellbeing activities were a welcome highlight during a busy winter period. Staff embraced the chance to pause, recharge and take part in creative, calming sessions. For teams unable to join group activities, our bespoke mini activities, designed to happen close to people’s work areas, helped remove barriers and make it easier for staff to still build some time for wellbeing into their day.
Supporting Young People Through Nature
We were delighted to work with Teenage Cancer Trust to support young people undergoing cancer treatment to explore the gardens and discover the wellbeing benefits of nature. For many, it offered a refreshing change of pace and a chance to reconnect with the outdoors.
Wildlife Discovery on Site
Nature enthusiasts also had plenty to get excited about. Our recent BioBlitz encouraged staff to snap photos of the wildlife they spotted around the site. Seven natural history experts joined in and recorded hundreds of species – everything from fungi and birds to over 49 species of bryophytes (mostly moss!) found in a surprisingly small patch near the Wellbeing Wing. These records play an important role in monitoring biodiversity and understanding how climate changes are affecting local wildlife.
A Helping Hand from Student Volunteers
And if you spotted some very enthusiastic volunteers around the grounds, that was thanks to the University of Edinburgh’s “Dirty Weekenders” conservation society. A group of 25 students joined us to plant an impressive 1,700 bulbs, helping support early season pollinators and brighten the site as spring approaches. They also began work on a dead hedge opposite Car Park 7 – a structure built entirely from fallen wood that will provide excellent habitat for blackbirds, robins, wrens and dunnocks.