Author: Ailsa Villegas
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Grants awarded for community action on Green Health
In 2019, the Highland Green Health Partnership launched a one-time small grant fund for projects of between £1500 and £5000. The fund opened to applications for an 8 week period between the 23rd September and the 29th November 2019. It attracted 53 applicants, with project costs totally more than £215,000. The level of interest in the fund and…
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World Mental Health Day – 10th October 2019 – Nature Therapy
This World Mental Health Day takes place on the 10th of October 2019. In Scotland, one in ten adults show two or more symptoms of depression. These symptoms, which can be mild, moderate or severe can include: continuous low mood or sadness feeling hopeless and helpless having low self esteem feeling tearful having no motivation or interest…
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Recovering from addiction? – Getting back to nature can help you to stay the path.
As preparations get underway for the Scottish Recovery Walk taking place in Inverness on the 21st September 2019, I am taking time to look at the ways in which the natural environment can assist with successful recovery strategies. If you are recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction, adding outdoor time to your to-do list could help you…
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The Nature of Grief
On Sunday the 30th of June 2019, I was honoured to be invited to attend a beautiful service held by SIMBA in remembrance babies lost during pregnancy or soon after birth. The Inverness Botanic Gardens provided a beautiful backdrop to the music and poetry that accompanied a symbolic butterfly release. Many families were in attendance…
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My Oudoor Place – Photography Competition
During Green Health Week 2019, ‘Think Health Think Nature’ hosted a photography competition in conjunction with MFR Radio. Entrants were invited to submit of photograph of their favourite outdoor place for a chance to win £150 of outdoor vouchers. It was hoped that this would help us to better understand the reasons why people in…
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The Launch of Think Health Think Nature
The sun came out for the formal Launch of the Highland Green Health Partnership on the 22nd of April 2019. More than 50 guests came to show support for the initiative ‘Think Health Think Nature’. The Provost, Councillors and senior officials from the partnership met with the community groups and volunteers in an afternoon filled…
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From Urban Parks to Coastal Rock Pools – Green Health
It is half-term and I am just back from a lovely weekend visiting friends in Aberdeen. We took a trip to Hazelhead Park on a beautiful sunny day. Spring was in the air, the birds were singing and the crocus’s were in bloom. The park was buzzing with activity. I took note of how happy everyone…
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Getting Outdoors – Is it for everyone?
Last week I attended on online seminar from Ben Wheeler of Exeter University: “Natural environments and health and wellbeing: Evidence and connections with local/national/international health and environmental policy”. Not surprisingly the evidence was there that greenspace and time spent outdoors is good for us. It did strike me that much of this evidence was taken…
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Green Health – What’s It All About?
At the end of my third week in my new post I thought I would share a little about the project. Highland is one of four areas in Scotland to receive funding to develop a Green Health Partnership. The aim of the partnership is to develop and coordinate approaches to improve both physical and mental…