Tcv scotland bulletin winter 2016

www.tcv.org.uk/scotland

netw rk bulletin Winter 2016-17

for TCV Scotland’s community Network

Special issue: Nature for everyone

tina norris

Nature for everyone At TCV Scotland we believe everyone has the right to enjoy Scotland’s countryside and learn about and discover the nature on their doorstep regardless of age, background or ability.

Over 1 million people in Scotland have a disability, which for many means minimal physical activity, little contact with nature, limited opportunities to learn new skills, and fewer chances to meet new people, which can lead to social isolation and mental health problems.

Since 2014 TCV Scotland has been developing its engagement with people with disabilities to address these key needs. Facilitating connection with nature by bringing people together to have fun in the outdoors, can be one step to improving the lives of people with disabilities.

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For the past two years TCV Scotland has worked with a range of disability organisations to facilitate positive outdoor experiences for their service users, staff and volunteers. Activities have ranged from nature play sessions with children, beach safaris and bat walks, to Citizen Science and food growing projects with adults. The feedback from these sessions has been overwhelmingly positive in describing how connection with nature really enhances the lives, skills, health and wellbeing of those taking part. For some, sleep is improved or appetite increased. Others feel less isolated and part of a team. Parents have described how they are better connected, and for some children their behaviour and motor skills have been greatly enhanced.

For children and adults with autism, being outside has multiple benefits and really helps them cope with social situations and learn new skills.

Our approach is all about working in partnership and really listening to what our participants would like and what would help them most. Being open minded, flexible, sensitive and offering a tailor-made experience for each group has been key to success.

The following pages highlight our programmes for people with disabilities which TCV Scotland has been running with partner organisations.

Front cover: Winter is the time of year when an otherwise ordinary scene can be transformed by a dusting of snow, or an ice-coated surface. If you have access to a garden, nature reserve or local greenspace when the temperature drops, why not get out and capture the seasonal scene with your camera or smartphone. But don’t just keep the images to yourself – post them on social media or your group’s website (if you have one), a photo sharing site like Flickr, or even the BBC’s Your pictures of Scotland.

And if you’ve taken a real stunner, why not enter a photography competition – you may have a prize winner!

Photo: You needn’t have to go far for a snowy snap – a tree at the end of the street, Paisley. GRAHAM BURNS

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tina norris

amanda malcolm

Exploring Nature

Scottish Autism’s Citizen Scientists say:

Adults and staff from Scottish Autism’s Gartinny Centre have been enjoying a year-long programme of Citizen Science and nature recording through facilitated regular visits to local country parks, woodlands and other beauty spots in their

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area. Most of the nature explorers come from Clackmannanshire, and so far they’ve enjoyed bug hunting, pond dipping, bird and bird song identification, plus a dab at some woodland art and outdoor cooking, to name just a few of the activities. The outdoor sessions have taken the budding Citizen Scientists to areas including Gartmorn Dam Country Park, near Alloa, and the Ochil Hills Woodland Park, by Alva. These are locations some of them are familiar with, but the nature activities have given them new experiences and learning opportunities.

Joanna Panese, Scottish Autism, says: “The individuals that access Gartinny really enjoy joining the project workers during their Citizen Science sessions. They have the opportunity to get involved in tree and flower identification, bird call recognition, as well as contributing to bio recording projects. Citizen Science allows individuals the opportunity to develop conservation skills alongside improving mobility, balance and cognition skills.”

“Peter is so keen to know what the nature group is doing when he comes in on a Wednesday morning!”

What do you like about the nature group?

“I like walking” amanda malcolm

Jill Traynor of ENABLE Scotland says: “The families really love the days, and it’s great that they are able to get out as a family and have everyone involved in an activity together. One comment which stands out from a mum was: “I never realised how much I worried about his behaviour when we are out until we came along and were with other families in the same situation”, and I’ve just received a call from a family asking to come back to the next session as they enjoyed it so much. Another family had had a negative experience at that same park a few days prior and after a session with Amy her son’s confidence was back and he had had a great experience and loved his kite!”

tina norris

Throughout 2016/17, children, their families and support staff from Sense Scotland and ENABLE Scotland have enjoyed our Exploring Nature Programme which involves two hour nature play sessions in a variety of parks and greenspaces across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Forfar, Dundee and Fife. Under the playful supervision of TCV’s Amy Styles the youngsters, many of whom are on the autism spectrum, have enjoyed bug hunts, muddy play, games, crafts and scavenger hunts. While children are playing, parents have been able to chat over a cup of tea and relax knowing their children are having fun.

“We get to do things outside, like my mushrooms!”

The Exploring Nature programmes are supported by the RS MacDonald Charitable Trust, Autism Innovation Development Fund and Scottish Natural Heritage.

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TCV and Scottish Autism – learning from each other

Autism

amanda malcolm

Autism is a lifelong developmental condition that affects the way a person communicates, interacts and processes information. The autism spectrum refers to the range of ways the condition can present in the individual which can vary greatly from person to person and throughout their life. While some people will have more subtle difficulties, others will have complex needs requiring more intensive support.

The behaviours and challenges typically associated with autism are often as a result of differences in thinking and processing information. It is through a deep understanding of the impacts of these different thinking styles that we are able to develop approaches and strategies which allow people with autism to better understand and contribute to the world around them.

This information was taken from the Scottish Autism website at www.scottishautism.org

In order to understand and best meet the needs of our participants, we have made training and skills development a top priority. Learning from the staff and volunteers who support our programmes has been key and over the summer, TCV Scotland and Scottish Autism exchanged training for each other’s staff and volunteers.

At Gartmorn Dam Country Park in Clackmannanshire, Scottish Autism staff greatly enjoyed a Citizen Science ‘taster workshop’ by TCV’s Amanda Malcolm and Natural Networks trainee Jess Owen. This involved a range of activities including invertebrate survey, bird and bird song identification, and tree and lichen identification. The group also covered how to conduct fieldwork safely. The workshop was designed to build Scottish Autism

staff skills and confidence around running their own bio recording workshops with their service users.

Amanda commented: “The sessions made Scottish Autism staff feel more confident to facilitate Citizen Science sessions. Not only did they gain worthwhile knowledge, but we also learned from them how Citizen Science could be engaging and accessible to all.” amanda malcolm

“Very interesting day which has inspired me to learn more and be confident to take our pupils out and learn more about our surroundings.”

“An excellent session that opened my eyes to future sessions I could organise.”

“Brilliant, inspiring.”

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In September, TCV staff were led through a training session by Scottish Autism’s Joanna Panese (above), who said: “The training session with TCV project workers was really engaging with lots of discussion about how individuals with autism access their local communities, as well as the barriers that they face. I hope the TCV workers were able to take away a new understanding about what autism is and how they might support someone with autism to engage in outdoor sessions.”

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Developing Jupiter’s Nature Connections

TCV’s Anna Hamilton (in purple hat!) and some of the Jupiter programme’s ‘regulars’ by one of their newly constructed raised beds.

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ocal people from the Falkirk area are improving their access to nature at the SWT Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre in Grangemouth. Through TCV’s Jupiter Nature Connections Programme, volunteers are creating an accessible growing centre, including fruit trees and raised beds for herbs and vegetables, plus woodland-based conservation activities.

New and existing raised beds are being built or adapted to be accessible to people with disabilities. Likewise in the site’s main polytunnel, new benches, storage areas and tables will enable people with disabilities to work comfortably when propagating wildflowers and other plants.

These features are being constructed by the volunteers themselves, using reclaimed wood whenever possible.

As well as the food growing aspects, the volunteers aim to increase the wildlife biodiversity at Jupiter and the local area, through the growing and planting of native wildflowers such as red campion, Scottish bluebell, wood anemone and wood sorrel.

The flowers will be grown from seed and planted out at local nature reserves and greenspaces, and also offered to local schools and community groups. Some of the flowers will enhance Jupiter’s own meadow and woodland areas, and new

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bee and butterfly friendly beds will also be created.

The Nature Connections volunteers belong to several Falkirk-wide organisations including Caledonia Service, Bellsdyke Hospital and Scottish Autism.

Alan Greenhill of Caledonia Service (pictured with the blue wooly hat), says: “Caledonia service users work with Anna Hamilton at the Jupiter site and have been impressed by her enthusiasm, planning and drive to rejuvenate and redesign the growing area. It’s been very satisfying, engaging and a great way to use some of the muscles we’d forgotten! The project allows us to get out into a local resource and to make a difference to one of our local landscapes – picking up skills and tips on nature, gardening and also giving us a greater appreciation of the foresight required for environmental projects. Visiting and working on the site weekly allows us to witness the evolution of the area and to gain satisfaction as we complete the jobs needing done. The project gets people out and about in almost all weathers, keeps us in touch with the Earth, and provides a focus for those participating.”

Jupiter Nature Connections is funded through the Falkirk Environment Trust.

Construction of the growing space is also being helped by young people and adults on skills training programmes run by TCV Scotland and Falkirk Council.

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Arthritis Gill Meens

Getting creative

Arthritis means inflammation of the joints.

Most people with arthritis will experience pain and difficulty moving around. Around 10 million people in the UK have arthritis who can take control of their symptoms and continue to have a good quality of life.

Arthritis is the biggest cause of pain and physical disability in the UK. Of the people with arthritis in the UK, 15,000 are children and young people, so arthritis is not just a disease of older people – it can affect people of all ages.

It is not clear what causes arthritis and there is no cure at present. However, there is plenty people can do to manage their condition and lead a full and active life.

This information is adapted from the Arthritis Care website: www.arthritiscare.org.uk

Joint Creativity gives young people aged 10 – 18 years the opportunity to get together and put ART into ARThritis.

The programme workshops provide a day of ‘making’ where participants can create collaborative artworks and also sculpt, paint, draw and print their own individual pieces. There’s a lot of fun and the opportunity to make new friends.

Joint Creativity is run by Arthritis Care Scotland who invited TCV Scotland to run the environmental art workshop, whose key aim was to explore ‘diagnosis’ and the feelings felt by the young people before and after finding out about their condition.

Our event engaged the young people in a range of hands-on activities including creating a wish tree, making twig frames, den building and blackberry tattoos!

Gill Meens, Young People and Families Manager at Arthritis Care Scotland, commented: “The event was the first time we have done something with the arts and outdoors with our group. It was very successful. The young people loved being outside and being able to be creative with what they found. A lot of the artwork and photos documenting it, made their way into our exhibition in October and brought the gallery space to life. A lot of the time young people can feel excluded from taking part in outdoor activity because

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“Had lots of fun and it was nice to be outdoors for a change.”

Gill Meens

The extensive grounds at Mortonhall Estate, where TCV Scotland has its Edinburgh base, were recently the location for an environmental art workshop as part of the Joint Creativity programme.

“It was nice to be with other YOUNG people that understand.”

of the condition, but this was a great way to engage them in making art and being outside. The young people loved it and so did the leaders!”

“Great social event to get to know others in a fun environment.”

“I feel tired but happy!”

“My son had a great time making new friends and loved the activities.”

As Gill Meens mentions above, the artworks created and photographs taken during the workshop, formed part of an exhibition at the Gayfield Creative Spaces in central Edinburgh. ‘ARThritis: Exploring Diagnosis’ explored and communicated what it is like being diagnosed and living with a chronic condition at a young age. TCV Scotland’s Julia Duncan attended the exhibition’s opening evening, and said: “This was a very quiet but impactful display of the work of some very brave young people.

The exhibition highlighted the thoughts and feelings of the young people affected by arthritis through the colourful and expressive art workshops. TCV were lucky to have been part of the journey in helping facilitate the environmental art workshop.

We look forward to working with Arthritis Care Scotland to facilitate more nature based activities for these inspirational young people.”

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A playful summer Looking back to the summer holidays, the Youth Group from the Edinburgh-based Deaf Action enjoyed a series of nature play workshops at parks, beaches and wild places in and around the city. At Dalmeny and Cramond beaches they made fires and cooked sausages, went rock pooling, and played numerous games. The locations visited represented a range of different settings and habitats – parkland, woodland and shoreline, where the children got close to nature and get very muddy!

PHOTOS: DEAF ACTION

The summer workshops were the latest in a series of nature experiences run since early 2015 by TCV Scotland and Deaf Action, whose input has been led by its Youth Worker Alex Furneaux, who says: “These workshops have been absolutely fantastic!

Deaf people can often be overlooked or forgotten about when it comes to events – so it is really important for us to provide workshops that are fully accessible and deaf friendly. The workshops provided in partnership with TCV Scotland and Deaf Action have enabled young deaf people and their families to engage with nature, local wildlife and the environment in a much deeper way, and I look forward to continue this partnership into 2017.”

Parents added:

“My kids are really isolated at times… they lack the ability to organise themselves and can become quite lonely.

So meeting new kids was great.”

“It was the first time Arthur has been to any activities with other deaf children and he came out of his shell, so nothing but positive comments.”

New Scout trail for all abilities

historic scouting activities and identify opportunities that they would like to explore. The project is funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Young Roots programme.

including wildlife ID, bug hunts, ponddipping and traditional scouting activities such as camping and forest skills.

Young people with disabilities are to be at the centre of a programme of cultural and nature-based exploration and discovery. Starting in January 2017, the Nature Connections Programme (NCP) will uncover the history of Glasgow Disabled Scouts (GDS) and highlight key achievements experienced by scouts with disabilities from the Glasgow area.

The scouts’ consultation will uncover key

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And the NCP will improve access to wildlife at Auchengillan Outdoor Centre, just north of Glasgow. This will involve scouts with disabilities in building their own wheelchairaccessible path to enjoy the site’s wildlife pond. The path will include a sensory trail, dipping platform and wildlife hide. The programme will include outdoor activities for young people to get close to nature

To ensure the programme’s sustainability, training will be provided for GDS and Auchengillan staff, and will include wildlife ID, nature recording and forest skills to grow their confidence in delivering scout activity in the outdoors. And the scouts will design their own end-of-programme celebratory event and showcase their findings through the production of interpretation panels, website content and promotional material.

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Going batty ANNE YOUNGMAN/BAT CONSERVATION TRUST

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A group of blind and partially sighted members of Guide Dogs Scotland enjoyed a walk in the grounds at Newhailes House,

near Musselburgh. Using specially adapted bat detectors the participants were thrilled to hear Pipistrelle and Daubenton bats.

If you’re organising an activity for blind or partially sighted people, what do you have to take into account? That’s been the aim of half-day courses run by TCV Scotland and Guide Dogs Scotland. The courses provide an introduction to the techniques required for safely guiding blind or partially sighted people in the outdoors.

See opposite for more details.

JOHN HADDOW

The tiny Pipistrelle is the bat species you are most likely to see at dusk or later as they leave their roosts to hunt for insects. Bats can catch up to 3,000 midges in a single night – what’s not to like?

The Pipistrelle weighs between just 4-8 grammes, which is less than a pound coin, and can fit in a matchbox. You can do your bit for bats by adding more insect attracting plants to your garden, or by putting up a bat box in a suitable location.

More bat facts at www.bats.org.uk

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The UK’s smallest bat – the Pipistrelle.

How can disability organisations fund projects for their service users to experience and enjoy Scotland’s rich natural heritage? That was the subject of a joint TCV and Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) event held In November at the Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre, Grangemouth. Representatives from a range of disability organisations came together to hear of successful natural heritage programmes run by TCV, Deaf Action and Scottish Autism, some of which are highlighted on page 3.

Also on hand was Zoe Gamble (right) of the Heritage Lottery Fund who explained what HLF funding programmes are available to support natural heritage projects. Zoe gave plenty of tips and advice on making successful applications to HLF, whose awards range from £3,000 to over £5 million. It was a very useful and informative day summed up by one participant who said:

The bat detectorists.

ny disability poses its own particular challenges, and blindness is no different, but rewarding and enjoyable outdoor activities can be tailored for people with sight loss.

A recent example is a bat walk organised with Guide Dogs Scotland, National Trust for Scotland and the Bat Conservation Trust.

Making nature accessible to people with disabilities

“I feel that HLF are there to support and fund projects and would advise positively with the application process.”

We hope the event will lead to more applications to HLF from disability groups for natural heritage projects, such as the recently announced project with the Glasgow Disabled Scouts – see page 7. So, if your organisation has a potential project in mind, HLF may have a suitable funding programme.

Visit www.hlf.org.uk for details, and as Zoe stressed in her talk, she and her HLF colleagues will gladly give FREE advice to anyone considering making an application.

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Working with people with disabilities – develop your skills and knowledge Details and booking of all TCV Scotland courses are available at our Eventbrite page at www.bit.ly/2fdKvCa

If you would like to enhance your skills and knowledge to work with people with disabilities in outdoor settings, TCV Scotland’s ongoing programme of training courses and learning events includes a number of relevant topics:

Exploring nature with people with disabilities TCV Scotland has been working with a wide range of people with disabilities over the past two years, as featured in these pages. We are by no means experts in this area, but we are passionate about making nature and Scotland’s wildlife accessible to everyone, regardless of age, background or disability. And we are keen to share ideas and inspire others to develop this important topic.

In this course we share some of the programmes and activities we have been running as well as our approach to engaging people with disabilities. We provide information and ideas around how to adapt a range of outdoor activities to suit people with different capabilities.

The course includes practical activities eg sighted guiding, as well as useful games and activities for younger participants. We discuss some of the barriers for people with disabilities (real and perceived), and provide some information on funding available for developing programmes for people with disabilities.

Next course: 15 February 2017

Edinburgh

Sighted Guiding – My Guide Level 1 With instruction from Guide Dogs Scotland this free, half-day course gives an introduction to the techniques used for safely guiding people who are blind or partially sighted. Attendees pair-up and guide each other using blindfolds.

Attendees leave the course with a clearer understanding of the emotional

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consequences of sight loss and some of the everyday challenges faced by people with a visual impairment.

Next course: 17 February 2017

Edinburgh

Sensory Awareness This course outlines the types and causes of various sensory impairments and methods of communication. With instruction from Sense Scotland the course includes a practical exercise to both experience a dual sensory impairment and also have the chance to work with someone with a dual sensory impairment.

Also presented are ideas and advice for working with people with sensory impairments.

Next course: date to be confirmed

– check our Eventbrite page

Tailored training As well as being knowledgeable about wildlife and their local patch, being a countryside ranger is very much a peoplefocussed job which involves sharing your passion for nature with people from all ages and backgrounds, including those with disabilities. This was the topic of a TCV training workshop held in Aberdeen in August with countryside rangers from across Aberdeenshire. The training looked at what barriers there are for people with disabilities wanting to engage with nature, and how to overcome them. The rangers also discussed their own practices and how to improve them. Activities included sensory awareness activities, risk assessing, foraged smoothie making, berry tattoos, hapa zome (dying fabric by squishing plant materials!), supporting people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and mindfulness.

This ‘bespoke’ course was arranged with the Scottish Countryside Rangers Association. If you would like a similar course to be tailored to your organisation’s staff and volunteers, please contact Tricia Burden at t.burden@tcv.org.uk or 01786 479697.

Access all areas The previous pages have highlighted the outdoor activities which TCV Scotland has organised with organisations from the disability sector.

We are keen to expand these activities by developing further outdoor activity programmes for people with disability organisations across Scotland.

For further information about TCV Scotland’s work with the disability sector, please contact Julia Duncan at j.duncan@tcv.org.uk

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Thank you David – 90 years young!

PHOTOS: Matt Crossick/PA Wire

‘My Community Digs Trees’ is the UK-wide tree planting programme organised by TCV and OVO Energy to encourage community groups, schools, Friends groups etc, to get tree planting in their local area. We have over 125,000 FREE trees available for the coming tree planting season until April 2017. The trees come in packs of 50 and include species such as oak, rowan, alder and birch. Groups can apply for a maximum of 19 packs that’s 950 trees! And they come with spiral guards and supporting canes to give them some early protection from rabbits and other notorious nibblers!

In early October, TCV celebrated our Vice President Sir David Attenborough’s 90th birthday at a very special event in London where we planted an elm tree in his honour.

Sir David said: “Simply as a citizen, I want to thank TCV for how you have transformed the way in which I spend my urban life.” He added: “You provide not only reasons but the ability to do things. You are an astonishing organisation.”

Sir David showed he was happy to get his hands dirty as he grabbed a spade and dug enthusiastically in front of a crowd of TCV volunteers and supporters at the ceremony at Waterlow Park in Highgate, North London. He told those watching that he did not want any criticism about his “skill with a spade”, before firming-up the soil around the newly planted elm.

During the ceremony TCV Chair Rita Clifton, CBE, presented Sir David with an Oak Burr bowl made from reclaimed wood and thanked him for supporting TCV’s work in communities across the UK for over 30 years.

Sir David said he felt “extraordinarily lucky” to still be so active at 90. The broadcaster, who has travelled far and wide, said the stand-out moment of his 90 years was the birth of his first child. He added that he could not believe he had managed to persuade someone that the “greatest spectacles of the natural world” should be broadcast on television - and that he “was the man to put it there”. “I saw all these wonderful things,” he said. “Whether it was seeing the displays of the bird of paradise, sitting alongside gorillas, or diving for the first time on the coral reef. These are moments in anybody’s life which would stand out and I just wish everyone could do so, because they are transformative.”

“Simply as a citizen, I want to thank TCV for how you have transformed the way in which I spend my urban life.”

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FREE Trees!

Further details at: www.tcv.org.uk/ community/i-dig-trees And if your group is planning a mass tree plant, TCV may be able to help with the logistics - get in touch to discuss the possibilities.

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Ayr’s natural health service

A view of green space and nature can provide a real boost for recovering patients.

The greenspaces surrounding our hospitals offer fantastic opportunities to enhance the health and well being of patients, staff and the wider community, according to David Meechan, recently appointed ‘Greenspace for Health Senior Project Officer’ at University Hospital Ayr and Ailsa Hospital (UHU & AH). Here, David explains his role: I’m working for TCV Scotland in partnership with NHS Ayrshire & Arran and the Green Exercise Partnership (GEP) – NHS Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage. My role here is to engage with all the various groups who utilise the fantastic greenspace available at UHA & AH – patients, staff, volunteers, and the local community. In my first few months I’ve been out and about trying to meet as many people as possible and exploring the beautiful environment encompassing this site – as well as trying to unlock the potential it has to offer everyone. I aim to utilise the variety of wonderful green locations to work with groups of various needs and abilities, to improve the health and well-being of both people and nature.

For anyone who wants to get involved I’m putting together a calendar of events and

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activities, including a TCV Green Gym. In practice this will mean various hands-on conservation activities e.g. gardening, planting, woodland management, habitat creation, invasive species control, plus educational activities such as Citizen Science health walks to discover what species exist here.

aware of the GEP and the transformative work that has been completed over several years in partnership with NHS Ayrshire and Arran. UHA & AH is now one of the GEP National Demonstration Sites, and the greenspace here is now somewhere you can exercise, relax and re-charge, walk and talk, and connect with nature.

The creation of my post is the result of findings from multiple studies which suggest that there is a positive relationship between high quality, accessible greenspace, and mental and physical health and wellbeing – although the exact ways in which these benefits occur are not yet fully understood. Exercise or activity in the great outdoors is certainly a key factor, as well as exposure to natural daylight and stimulation of the senses. The opportunity for social interaction and for some, peace and solitude are also important benefits.

I’m sure many people will have heard all this before, but the evidence suggests that we need to focus more on keeping people well and preventing ill health. However, outdoor activities and contact with nature can also play a key role in treatment and recovery. What my project aims to do is to see if the activities and sessions that I will be running have a positive impact on the health and well-being of the staff, patients, volunteers and wider community of UHA & AH. Can we measure those positive changes and raise awareness of Green Exercise methods as a sustainable method of prevention within the NHS?

If you want to know more about the project, or would like to become involved in some of the activities, please contact me at David.Meechan@aapct.scot.nhs.uk or call 01292 885946 or 07773 200525.

Inverness and Glasgow In addition to David’s project in Ayr, TCV is involved in two similar projects at New Craigs Hospital, Inverness and the Gartnavel Hospital Campus, Glasgow.

Alis Balance has recently been appointed as Senior Project Officer at New Craigs, whilst Bryony White is our new Senior Project Officer at Gartnavel. All three hospital projects will be featured in more detail in the Spring Network Bulletin.

The Green Exercise Partnership (GEP) commenced in 2007 between the NHS, Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage. It allows the conservation sector and NHS health boards to share resources and expertise on how we can get the best out of NHS greenspace for the benefit of people and nature.

Many of those working at UHA & AH will be

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Free trees available courtesy of TCV and OVO Energy.

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We’ve moved!

Follow us online8

Unit M1 143 Charles Street Glasgow G21 2QA T 0141 552 5294 F 0141 552 0418 E glasgow@tcv.org.uk

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twitter.com/tcvscotland #JoinInFeelGood

facebook.com/tcvscotland The Network Bulletin is published by TCV Scotland.

Views and opinions expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or of The Conservation Volunteers.

Editor Graham Burns E g.burns@tcv.org.uk T 0141 552 5294 ©The Conservation Volunteers 2016. Charity registered in Scotland SC039302, and England 261009. Green Gym is a Registered Trade Mark.

Information and booking for TCV Scotland’s training courses and other events is now available on Eventbrite at: www.bit.ly/2fdKvCa

Share your story! If you would like your conservation group or project to be featured within the Network Bulletin, please contact Graham Burns at g.burns@tcv.org.uk

www.environment.scotland.gov.uk The gateway to everything you need to know about Scotland’s environment.

TCV Scotland’s community, health and environmental volunteering activities are supported by:

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c/o Highland Birchwoods Littleburn Road Munlochy Near Inverness IV8 8NN T 01463 811 967 E inverness@tcv.org.uk

Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre Wood Street Grangemouth FK3 8LH T 01324 471600 F 01324 471600 E jupiter-nursery@tcv.org.uk St Joseph’s Academy Grassyards Road Kilmarnock KA3 7SL T 01563 544304 E scotland-education@tcv.org.uk The Granary 44 Mortonhall Gate Edinburgh EH16 6TJ T 0131 664 6170 F 0131 664 0583 E edinburgh@tcv.org.uk TCV UK Head Office Sedum House Mallard Way Doncaster DN4 8DB T 01302 388883 F 01302 311531 E information@tcv.org.uk

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The Network Bulletin is produced three times annually and contains news and features on Community Network member groups, plus TCV Scotland projects, programmes and volunteers.

TCV Scotland Head Office 24 Allan Park Stirling FK8 2QG T 01786 479697 F 01786 465359 E scotland@tcv.org.uk