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Growing Connections Through Photography

Nature's Way – activities for better health and well-being

Nature’s Way is a programme of activities which provide opportunities for people to connect and support each other in order to improve their health and wellbeing. The programme is open to social prescribing and other referrals, including self-referrals. 

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Nature's Way logo

At the Eden Project we believe in the power of connecting people with each other and nature – the power of people collectively doing things to improve their lives and the lives of others around them.

That’s why we’re making use of our safe, inspiring and therapeutic site, and the skills in our team, to support people with a range of health conditions through social prescribing.

 

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Nature’s Way participant

“Coming to Eden is a crucial jigsaw piece for my mental good health.”

Activities on offer

Activity How to book Cost When

Walk with Nature's Way
More details

Book walks

Free

Fridays, 10.30am-12pm

Growing Connections through Photography

Email naturesway@edenproject.com

Free

Wednesdays, 4.00pm-6.00pm

4, 11, 18 and 25 October

 

Activities on offer

What is social prescribing?

Social prescribing is when GPs, nurses and other professionals refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services offered by charities, community organisations and voluntary sector organisations.

Did you know?

GPs can actually prescribe a weekly 'dose' of gardening or walking for physical or mental wellbeing.

The patient gets prescribed an activity, for example a ‘weekly dose’ of group gardening, to help with their physical or mental health and wellbeing. Whatever the activity, it can give people new life opportunities, help them form new relationships, be creative and increase their activity levels.

Social prescribing also empowers people to take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing, and gives them a choice about their treatment – finding activities that work for them.

Activities are open to self-referrals so, if you know that you could benefit contact, please get in touch by emailing naturesway@edenproject.com or calling 01726818550.

Many of the common problems that GPs see in the surgery, such as depression, back pain and type two diabetes, have a large social, environmental and lifestyle component – so it’s sensible to prescribe patients with something other than medication. 

If you are a healthcare professional who would like to refer a patient on to our social prescribing programmes, please contact us on naturesway@edenproject.com for more information. 

Touching lives and changing futures

Individuals with diabetes on a walk at the Eden Project

John, walking group member

“'I never believed I could change my diabetic diagnosis, but I do now.' ”

Since the programme began in 2016 we’ve helped hundreds of people, some of whom have had their lives completely changed around – from house-bound elderly people who now have new friends, to individuals living with anxiety who say they are much better able to manage their condition, to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients who are spending less time in hospital.

Members of our walking groups have experienced some fantastic improvements in their health and wellbeing. We interviewed 10 of our diabetes walk participants in April 2018 and all of them had managed to lose weight, lower their BMI, and reduce blood sugar levels – five of them to below the diabetic range. 

We asked our Eden Walk & Talk Lunch Club and Tea at Three members how the activities had impacted their life just one year in, and 94% said their outlook had changed and they felt happier.

Celebrating positive stories

Programme supporters

Nature's Way is supported by the Pears Foundation. We are working in partnership with St Austell Healthcare and Carrick Health to provide our diabetes and cardiac walking groups.

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St Austell Healthcare logo
Cornwall Community Foundation logo