On a rainy October morning, we were honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Wales to Pensford Field in Kew, where she spent time with members of the Dose of Nature community, hearing first-hand about the role nature can play in supporting mental health and wellbeing.
During her visit to our Richmond site, The Princess met our Founder Dr Alison Greenwood, Clinical Lead Dr Georgina Gould, and members of our team (pictured above) to learn more about our pioneering approach to mental healthcare. She also met volunteers and participants, hearing their personal experiences of how connecting with nature has helped them recover.
Among them was Tom, who first came to Dose of Nature as a participant, and now works for us while also volunteering as a Nature Guide himself. Tom spoke about his own journey, and the role Dose of Nature had played in his own recovery, helping him build confidence, resilience and a stronger sense of connection to the natural world.
Kate said to him: “Our journey has been very very different, but it’s so wonderful to hear about your nature connection and how it’s been so healing for you, and I felt the same.
“The fact that you’re able to provide that to so many other people in this community; that sense of purpose and meaning, and belonging, through that experience, I think is something that has got the longevity and the sustainability of feeling like, almost without knowing what’s to come, without having the control in your life of knowing what the future might hold, the fact that you feel that you can cope with things, because you feel that interconnection, I think that makes it holistic in a very true essence.”
Her Royal Highness’s visit concluded at our weekly ‘Arts in Nature’ session, where participants use the natural environment as inspiration for creativity, reflection and self-expression. Despite the rain, The Princess spent time speaking with each member of the group about their experiences and the ways in which engaging with nature and creativity has supported their wellbeing.
Alison Greenwood, our Founder said:
"We were incredibly honoured and excited to welcome Her Royal Highness to our beautiful little field in Kew. Her longstanding interest in the relationship between nature, prevention and wellbeing reflects an important conversation about how we support healthier, happier lives.
Most of all, we were proud that the voices at the heart of the visit were those of our clients and community members. Their experiences are the reason Dose of Nature exists, and their stories continue to demonstrate the profound difference that nature can make."
Dr Georgina Gould, our Clinical Lead said:
"It was a joy to speak to Her Royal Highness about the vital role nature plays in the healthy development of children and young people. Growing scientific evidence highlights its benefits for cognitive, social and emotional growth. Our work supporting individuals to build a stronger connection with the natural world demonstrates the positive impact this can have. It also highlights the importance of bringing the benefits of connecting with nature into the public domain, helping to improve the mental health and wellbeing of future generations."
Dose of Nature is a clinically led, evidence-based mental health charity that helps people improve their mental health through increased engagement with the natural world. By combining psychological expertise, one-to-one guidance from volunteer Nature Guides and ongoing community activities, we help people connect with nature, improve their wellbeing and build lasting resilience.
Independent research by the London School of Economics found that participants receiving a Nature Prescription experienced significant improvements in wellbeing, purpose and social connection, highlighting the potential for nature-based approaches to offer a genuine alternative to traditional mental healthcare.
As demand for mental health support continues to grow, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from nature as part of their mental health care. We hope this visit helps shine a light on the important role that nature can play in improving and sustaining health and wellbeing.
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