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The Bartlett partners with the NHS to explore relationship between mental health and greenspaces

15 January 2025

The Bartlett’s Liza Griffin (DPU) and Gemma Moore (BSEER) worked with Jane Faulkner and Cerdic Hall from the North London NHS Foundation Trust and consultant Catherine Max to explore how greenspaces can contribute to mental wellbeing.

NHS workshop for green spaces and mental health
 

Parks and greenspaces offer a variety of pathways to wellbeing relating to their capacity to facilitate mental restoration and enable people to experience the benefits of non-human nature. Greenspaces also support physical activity and provide opportunities for social interaction; both of which are known to maintain mental health. 

Their workshop ‘Your Place in the Park’ was designed to generate learning on how greenspaces can better foster community wellbeing, support mental health delivery and help to address mental health inequalities. It was funded by a Grand Challenges Mental Health and Wellbeing Network and Community Building Grant with match funding from the Trust. 

Participants included UCL researchers, greenspace managers from Camden, Islington, and Haringey, Recovery and Experience Leads from the Trust, Mental Health Peer Coaches, and representatives from greenspace user groups including service users with different mental health conditions and needs. 

Dr Liza Griffin, Dr Gemma Moore and Ruth Hynes (UCL) opened the workshop by sharing existing evidence on the contribution of parks and greenspace to mental health and outlining their Healthy Parks Framework.  

Presentations were followed by sessions organised around a method often used in therapeutic settings called the Tree of Life.  Discussions focused on people's uses of greenspaces, and the opportunities and barriers to further embedding diverse greenspaces in mental health service provision and peer support. Conclusions emphasised the need for inclusive, accessible, and well-designed natural environments that consider diverse communities. This event marks a significant step towards harnessing the potential of North London's greenspaces in improving and protecting the mental wellbeing of its communities.  

Dr Liza Griffin said: “The health benefits of being in natural surroundings are well documented but they are often taken for granted, and the mechanisms by which mental health is improved are poorly understood. Another challenge is greenspace access tends to disproportionately benefit white, able-bodied people and more affluent communities. We hope to build on established work while addressing some of these challenges. Our thanks to colleagues from NHS Foundation Trust Jane Faulkner, Cerdic Hall, Lisa Carmody, Gary Lawrence and Dan Brown.” 

If you would like to find out more, please email jane.faulkner5@nhs.net or Liza.griffin@ucl.ac.uk