Green project for mental health

People are encouraged to work outdoors Photo: Steve Day

A "green exercise" project to help people with mental health problems has been set up by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the Wiltshire Primary Care Trust.

Structured activities will be offered to people who are at a high risk of mental illness.

The project will run for 18 months and aims to encourage people to work on conservation schemes outdoors.

It is funded by central government and people can be referred by the NHS or via wildlife trust outreach programmes.

'Quite intimidating'

Maggie Rae, of the Wiltshire Primary Care Trust (PCT), said: "Wiltshire is a relatively affluent and healthy county, but we do have areas in which the population is more likely to suffer from poor health.

"This project aims to build on the good evidence underpinning green exercise by encouraging people to make more of Wiltshire's countryside to improve their health."

Bill Jenman, of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: "Many people find the countryside quite intimidating - they don't know about public footpaths, how to use a map, even if they should be afraid of livestock.

"Yet we know that being active outdoors is a very effective, and cost effective, way of addressing mild to moderate mental health problems."

The project aims to focus on people from ethnic minorities and people from socially excluded groups.

The trusts are looking for people who can work as walking and task leaders so that the project can continue after the funding ends.