ON SATURDAY, families in Reading took part in a day celebrating nature and mental health awareness while out in the wild.
Nature Nurture CIC invited residents young and old to take part in its Wild Well Being day with help from Tesco through its community grants initiative.
Attendees were invited to explore their relationship with their own mental wellbeing as well as their relationship with the natural world.
Youngsters created works of art with natural materials, dressed up as their favourite animals for a workout, and hunted insects to study in Lousehill Copse.
Natalie Ganpatsingh, director at Nature Nurture, said: “It’s all about sort of celebrating the amazing woods and green spaces that Reading has all around.
“Lousehill Copse is tucked away right in the heart of the Dee Park Estate, and it’s the perfect place for an event like this.”
She explained: “The project came about through Tesco’s Community Grant, which people voted for in store with their blue tokens, and we’d like to thank those who gave us their vote.”
She said that the event aimed to tackle the “nature-deficit disorder,” which posits that children spend less and less time in natural environments, resulting in health and behavioural problems.
“We’ve reached this point where, sadly, our lifestyles can be so sedentary and indoors; that does of nature can be a tool to support everybody.
“We want to encourage people to care about their local spaces, and address the mental health challenges we hear about from schools and parents.”
More information about Nature Nurture’s upcoming events and projects is available by visiting: nature-nurture.co.uk/
