Green health prescribing with Cyrenians: S’s story
A Green Health Prescription is a new form of prescription. Alongside other treatments your health professional may prescribe spending time outdoors, in nature. We wanted to shine a spotlight on a service that uses time spent in nature as way to keep well.
We reached out to Cyrenians to hear about the impact the service has had for one participant, S.
S began attending the Green Activity Sessions as a participant in the summer of 2022. Living locally, S and her daughter Lee often visit the gardens at the weekends, and sometimes celebrate family events here with their wider family.
Lee accompanies her mum to the Monday afternoon sessions. Most recently we have been potting up and taking home succulents, and sowing seeds ready for the community garden cut flower beds. We always get the kettle on at their arrival, and the whole group always enjoy good banter over a cuppa and biscuits.
Lee tells us about the positive impact that the Community Gardens have had:
“I know it has been very important for mum’s mental health to be involved in this group. She had to cope with so many changes over the last few years involving her deterioration of health and mobility and the loss of her independence. She has been very brave and stoical throughout, but I know it has been very hard for her. She loves being outdoors and misses her garden in Aberdeen very much.
The group has given her an interest outside of the nursing home (which is very important for self-esteem and feeling accepted and part of the world in your own right).
She greatly enjoys the chat and friendship of the group and has appreciated the activities that she can take part in being in a wheelchair. The raised bed herb garden has been a huge success, and she was very touched at the thoughtfulness of the group to set that up for her to enable her to participate in gardening and she has a real interest in herbs and their medicinal and healing properties.
Her participation in this group has also sparked other creative projects and I was delighted that we finished another book together The Secret Orchard, that was inspired from our time together at the Monday afternoon garden group.
I would like to really thank you and all the others in this group that have made us so welcome and have greatly helped mum to gain confidence again and enjoy the company of people and be in nature.
Lee, January 2025.
Find out more about Cyrenians and the support they offer.
Do you live and/or work in Midlothian and want to share your own experiences of mental health and wellbeing and the different ways keep you well? If you would like us to share your story, please email midspace@health-in-mind.org.uk.