More outdoor wellbeing workshops for Cornwall school children

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is offering even more outdoor wellbeing workshops for school children in Cornwall this summer.

Led by the Trust's Mental Health Support Team, the Wild Wellbeing project is designed to prevent mental health issues in young people by giving them the tools to improve their wellbeing. It is focussed on the 5 steps to mental wellbeing: Connect with other people; be physically active; learn new skills; give to others; pay attention to the present moment. It also links in with the Trust's Clinical Strategy, and the objective to deliver more care outside or in non-traditional spaces.

Since January 2024, almost 500 families have attended sessions across 18 sites. Working with Natural England, the first were held at Goss Moor and Golitha Falls near Liskeard. Now the Trust has also teamed up with Cornwall Wildlife Trust and the National Trust to deliver more workshops at more sites. These include Tehidy Country Park near Camborne and Penrose near Helston.

The workshops are free and available to all local families with school-aged children from reception to year 7. However, siblings can also attend:

"The evidence base is really growing in how being outdoors in nature can help support young people's mental health and wellbeing. It is through forming that really strong connection to nature.

"These free events where children and come and experience different activities and learn different skills, they can take those away afterwards and continue to implement them into their own practice. It really helps to support their own mental health and wellbeing."

Suzanne Cachia, Education Mental Health Practitioner Supervisor

"The session was really engaging and varied. Toby really enjoyed it. He is really happy after doing all the different bits and going on the nature walk, as well as making a mandala with the natural items he found.

"We also did some mindfulness and made some clay faces. It has been really, really good."

Parent at Golitha Falls

Suzanne added that during the longer holidays, parents can sometimes find it harder to come up with activity ideas:

"The feedback on the sessions has been really good. Parents and carers have explained that in the summer holidays, they can feel quite socially isolated. Having a space where they can come and connect with their children, other parents, and caregivers has been really valuable to them.

"Holding sessions within accessible community spaces really does help to support engagement and access to mental health services in Cornwall."

Workshop details

This summer, the 2-hour workshops are taking place at:

• Heamoor Primary School, Penzance, 29 July
• Penrose (near Helston) 30 July, 5 and 7 August
• Golitha Falls (near Liskeard, 5 and 26 August
• Hayle Family Hub, 6 August
• Dipping Pond (moorland near Newquay), 12 and 28 August
• Tehidy Country Park (near Camborne), 14 and 20 August

"We are really looking forward to working with the Mental Health Support Team again, and welcoming children to connect with nature on our sites. It is always such a fun and fulfilling day. It is great to see the children really engaging with nature and with so much enthusiasm."

Beth Lloyd-Davies, Natural England

"We are excited to be part of the Wild about Wellbeing sessions again this summer. Getting out into nature is brilliant for our wellbeing. We are really pleased to be able to help connect more young people with their families to the fantastic natural world around us!"

Amy Gosney, Cornwall Wildlife Trust

Information posters have been shared with schools across Cornwall. Parents can check the communication channels for their child's school. Or you can book via the Mental Health Support Team's form. The cut-off for bookings is Wednesday 23 July.

More sessions are being planned for later in the year, including the October half term.