We’re excited to share more about the Hanham Health Nature, Health & Wellbeing Garden, a transformative green space at the Hanham Health GP Surgery. Thanks to the generous support from Natracare, through their 1% for the Planet initiative, this once simple field is being reimagined into a lush wellbeing garden, complete with a community orchard. But this space is more than just about plants—it’s a sanctuary where nature and health come together, offering a peaceful environment for both physical and mental wellbeing.
A Space for Community and Wellbeing
One of the garden’s greatest strengths is how it brings people together through nature-focused health and wellbeing activities. Already, the garden has hosted tai chi, yoga, and mindful meditation sessions, all of which are available for anyone in the community to join—completely free of charge. These activities allow participants to reconnect with nature while improving their mental and physical health.
The tranquillity of the garden offers a perfect backdrop for these sessions, enhancing the calming and restorative benefits of each practice. Whether it’s moving through yoga poses surrounded by the orchard or focusing on mindfulness while listening to the rustle of leaves, the garden has quickly become a peaceful retreat for many.
What’s Happening Next at the Hanham Nature Health & Wellbeing Garden?
As we continue to develop this space, there are plenty of exciting activities coming up during our next visit, including:
Grass Cutting: To keep the garden well-maintained and accessible.
Wildflower Planting: A key part of our strategy to increase biodiversity and create a richer, more vibrant environment.
Pruning: Regular care for the orchard trees, ensuring they stay healthy and fruitful.
These efforts not only enhance the beauty of the garden but also improve its ability to support a range of community health and wellbeing activities.
Benefits and Early Improvements
The garden has already shown great promise, offering not just a place to enjoy nature but also a setting to improve personal wellbeing. Although it started as a simple grassy field, our efforts to develop the garden are taking root, with the bioblitz soon to provide a baseline for monitoring biodiversity improvements.
By creating this nature-rich environment, we are not only improving local wildlife habitats but also offering the community a space where they can unwind, exercise, and practise mindfulness—all proven to boost mental and physical health.
Future Goals
Looking ahead, we’re focused on continuing to grow the Hanham Health Nature, Health & Wellbeing Garden into a thriving ecosystem that will serve the community in multiple ways. Our goals include:
Enhancing Biodiversity: Through ongoing wildflower planting and habitat creation, we aim to make this a haven for both wildlife and people.
Regular Pruning and Maintenance: To ensure the garden and orchard flourish, we’ll be organising community pruning sessions.
Fostering a Local Group: We are developing a dedicated group of local volunteers to help maintain the space and encourage community involvement.
Hosting More Health and Wellbeing Activities: As the garden continues to evolve, we’ll offer even more opportunities for free health and wellbeing sessions, encouraging the community to take part in activities like tai chi, yoga, and mindful meditation.
A Special Thanks to Natracare
We are deeply grateful to Natracare for their support through their 1% for the Planet initiative. You can even spot a couple of them in the photo above when they came to join the fun planting an orchard! Their commitment to sustainability and community has made this project possible, allowing us to create a space where nature, health, and wellbeing intersect in such a meaningful way.
Get Involved!
The Hanham Health Nature, Health & Wellbeing Garden is a space that belongs to the community. We encourage anyone interested to take part, whether you want to join in on the free wellbeing sessions or help with the garden’s upkeep. It’s a chance to connect with nature, improve your wellbeing, and be part of a growing community. You can see our upcoming events here.
If you’re an Activity Provider looking for a space to host nature-based health sessions, this garden is a perfect location to share your knowledge and skills. Get in touch! Together, we can make this space a sanctuary for all!
Take a look at the progress so far!
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