Green Social Prescribing

Our new walk programme is part of a national ‘Green Social Prescribing’ project. We are funded by Hey Smile Foundation, to conduct outdoor activity and promote experience of natural surroundings. Since August, Tracey and Sharifa have taken a core group of participants out on two walks a month in a different location every time. We always finish our walk by eating together. We believe that fresh air and exercise in the company of other people, followed by sitting together in the relaxed setting of a meal and continuing our conversations has solidified our small community and provided a boost to wellbeing and mental health.

We’ve had brilliant feedback from our participants, including: The weather was cold but bright. We were walking, talking to other people, eating together. I enjoyed my day so much. Another said: I’m feeling good. We visited new place with bees, flowers, pizza. My friends were together, and I appreciate this project to help me.

Kofi Smiles from BBC Radio Humberside accompanied us on our walk to Rooted in Hull, interviewing some of our participants and saying he thoroughly enjoyed his day.

We’ve walked on river paths, parks and beaches; city streets and alleyways tangled by brambles and waist-high grass. Sometimes urban nature feels as beautiful as open fields. We also free ranged on Beverley Westwood on a glorious day, and the city farm in East Hull. Our pre-Christmas trip to York could have been blighted by several cancelled buses home, but it didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits. The group just loves being out together.
Our first walk of 2025 was in the haunting landscape of the Humber Estuary, saturated in mist and serenaded by the sound of a fog horn.