Directed by Fabian Broeker, the short film follows Tom's journey over the course of a year in the parks and green spaces of West London. Living with bipolar disorder, Tom was referred to Dose of Nature's NHS-prescribed Nature Prescription programme after years of mental health challenges. What followed became a journey of recovery, connection and transformation.

For us, Seasons is particularly special because Tom's story is also part of Dose of Nature's story.

Tom first joined us as a participant. Today, he is a valued member of our staff team in Kew supporting clients who attend our wellbeing groups, and volunteering as a Nature Guide to help others who are facing their own mental health challenges. Tom's story is an inspiring story of what recovery can look like.

Finding Calm in Nature

Filmed across four seasons and woven together with childhood VHS footage, Seasons offers an intimate portrait of Tom's experience of living with bipolar disorder and finding support through nature-based mental health care.

Rather than explaining the benefits of nature on wellbeing through facts and statistics alone, the film invites viewers into the experience itself.

As Tom describes in the film:

"When I go through those gates and I walk down that drive, I honestly just feel this sense of calmness start to creep in."

Anyone who has spent time at Pensford Field may recognise that feeling.

Tucked away within a residential area of Kew, the field is not a remote wilderness. It is a community space where people can pause, reconnect and experience the restorative effects of being outdoors.

For Tom, that connection with nature became an important part of his recovery.

"There's this wonderful peacefulness in that field. Just the sound of the wind coursing through the trees, and there's a whole abundance of wildlife and birds and it's just so captivating."

"Suddenly it all feels a bit insignificant and you just feel, well at least I feel, like you can breathe a bit easier."

These moments will resonate with many of the people we support through our Nature Prescription programmes. While every person's experience is different, we regularly hear how spending time in nature and connecting with the natural world, can help people feel calmer, more grounded and better able to manage the challenges they face.

From Receiving Support to Supporting Others

One of the most moving aspects of Seasons is seeing how Tom's relationship with Dose of Nature evolved over time. Today, he helps create the same supportive environment that once helped him as a member of our staff team in Kew. Reflecting on his role, Tom speaks about the importance of small acts of care:

"Some of these activities or responsibilities that could maybe in a different job feel quite mundane actually feel like I take pride in doing them."

"As I've experienced, it can be so powerful to offer someone a cup of tea or a coffee in the morning when they arrive for their assessment."

"It's all these small touches that really make the difference, I feel."

At Dose of Nature, we know that recovery is often built through these small moments of connection. A warm welcome. A shared conversation. Time spent together outdoors. Feeling seen, heard and supported.

Tom now brings his own lived experience to that work every day, helping others discover their own path towards improved mental health and wellbeing.

A Film About Hope

At a time when mental health services across the UK continue to face growing demand, Seasons offers a hopeful and deeply human story about the potential for nature to have as a genuine alternative to medication and traditional talking therapies in mental healthcare.

It also reminds us that recovery is rarely quick or straightforward. Instead, it often unfolds gradually, much like the changing seasons themselves.

The film's selection for the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival is a wonderful recognition of Tom's story, Fabian Broeker's filmmaking, and the growing understanding that nature can play an important role in supporting mental health and recovery.

We are incredibly proud of Tom for sharing his experiences so openly and honestly.

Bringing Tom's Story to the Screen

Created by filmmaker and anthropologist Fabian Broeker, Seasons takes a different approach to telling stories about mental health.