A team from the University of Exeter and University of Plymouth are conducting a feasibility study of nature-based activities reached through social prescribing.
The work is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and will help prepare for a full Randomised Controlled Trial which will aim to clarify whether such activities are effective in protecting and improving the mental health of participants with diagnosed conditions such as depression and anxiety. The team are working with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and Newquay Orchard.
The project is one of four funded by the NIHR and is linked to the national green social prescribing Test and Learn programme. It builds on previous work by the team including the Nature on Prescription Handbook funded by the MRC, and a report on Therapeutic Nature written for Defra. This project is also supported by The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South West Peninsula (PenARC).