Restoring Health and Wellbeing Through Nature

Aim

Help us to bring the health and wellbeing benefits of nature to the isolated and vulnerable in Tower Hamlets during COVID-19.

WHO: The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park (FoTHCP) manage and care for Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, a unique and vital local nature reserve in East London. We deliver nature and history based events in the Cemetery Park and in other green spaces in Tower Hamlets.  

In 2019 we delivered 131 events with 3,818 people. We partnered with many local organisations, such as those working with elderly groups, individuals suffering from mental health issues and those with physical difficulties.

WHAT: Help us to bring the health and wellbeing benefits of nature to vulnerable groups in Tower Hamlets, during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.

We are facing a huge challenge as we can no longer deliver our typical events, such as history tours, tree walks, bird watching, arts and crafts, foraging tours and many more. We need to adapt our activities to make sure that we engage with those most in need - those who are still stuck indoors, have restricted access to green spaces, those who have been severely isolated and those with less access to online tools.

Our project will deliver 20 fortnightly activities to vulnerable people in Tower Hamlets. While restrictions remain, activities will be online (e.g. virtual tree and wildflower walks). When restrictions lift, activities will be in-person (e.g. gardening sessions) and delivered at the venues of our various partners and in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park. We will prioritise those who have not had access to online tools to attend the in-person activities.

We will reach vulnerable groups via our expansive network of partners in Tower Hamlets, such as Idea Stores, housing associations and elderly charities.

WHY: Our activities will reduce feelings of isolation, and help to improve mental and physical health in vulnerable individuals/groups in Tower Hamlets. We'll promote community resilience as activities will provide a sense of place, connect participants with their local area and bring together a range of people.

This project successfully funded on 23rd July 2020