Helping young people support their mental health through increased engagement with the natural world We’re delighted to announce the launch of our new schools-based initiative, “A Dose of Nature for Christ’s Students” , a pilot programme designed to bring the proven benefits of nature directly into the school environment. This innovative partnership with Christ’s School in Richmond is part of our mission to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people through regular, meaningful engagement with the natural world. Backed by over 40 years of scientific research, our programme offers a structured yet creative way to empower teenagers with practical tools to manage stress, anxiety, and emotional challenges. What the Programme Includes: PSHE Lessons for Year 8 Over four lessons during the summer term, students will explore how time in nature can reduce stress, improve focus, and support better mental health. These sessions include hands-on, sensory-based activities and time spent outdoors—designed to help students feel the difference nature can make. Six-Week Nature for Wellbeing Courses Small groups of students from Years 7–10 , identified as needing additional emotional support, will take part in weekly sessions led by our experienced psychologists . Each week introduces a different “key ingredient” of nature—from colour and movement to pattern and sound—to help students better understand how to use nature to regulate their mood and strengthen their resilience. Parent & Carer Engagement Parents and carers will be invited to a one-off talk to learn about the science behind our approach, along with practical ideas for encouraging young people to spend more time outside—both independently and as a family. Early Feedback from Students: “I could not have imagined a more life-changing experience.” — Mark, 18 “Dose of Nature has helped relieve so much stress… I feel happier and more confident.” — Roshin, 16 “It gave me hope for the rest of the week.” — Jasmine, 15 We know that nature isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. Our goal is to equip young people with tools they can carry for life: the ability to slow down, to reconnect, and to find peace in the green spaces around them. This pilot is just the beginning. We hope to expand the programme to more schools across the region, creating a ripple effect of resilience, confidence, and calm. If you’re interested in bringing a Dose of Nature to your school, get in touch today at info@doseofnature.org.uk or v i sit www.doseofnature.org.uk 

On 24 January 2025, Dose of Nature clients, volunteers, and team members gathered at Pensford Field to take part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch — a nationwide event running from 24–26 January. After a stormy week, we were delighted to enjoy calm weather, perfect for spotting wildlife. Together, we recorded 10 different bird species, including a particularly magical moment when three robins were spotted together by one of our wonderful volunteers. Our findings have now been submitted to the RSPB to contribute to their national survey. The Big Garden Birdwatch isn’t just about enjoying nature — it plays a crucial role in monitoring the health of UK bird populations. Many species, including much-loved garden birds, are now on the RSPB’s list of Birds of Conservation Concern. Each bird counted helps paint a clearer picture of how our wildlife is doing — and where help is needed most. We’re proud that our peaceful corner at Pensford Field is providing a welcoming haven for so many birds. Thank you to everyone who took part and made it such a special day. Find out more about the Big Garden Birdwatch on the RSPB website .

We are pleased to announce that Richmond Council have agreed to grant Dose of Nature (DoN) a new lease for Pensford Field from September 2025. The Council’s decision reflects a shared commitment to addressing an urgent mental health crisis within the Borough and beyond. Our volunteer-led charity has demonstrated the therapeutic power of nature, providing much-needed services to individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges, with higher efficacy and lower cost than more established options. Our Nature Prescriptions are currently constrained to support around 300 people annually with the arrangement at present, and with this new lease we are set to expand to 500 people per year. This means more vulnerable groups and children who have been hardest hit by the ongoing mental health crisis benefitting from our innovative programme. Beyond mental health benefits, we are committed to increasing wider, resident, community and schools’ access to the Field, as well as guaranteeing the continued access by the current users, such as beekeeping, Darell School children and local nurseries, and community activities and events such as the Pensford Field Sum mer Picnic and the Wassail. All this we will do whilst continuing to consider the ecological impact of our endeavours. Dose of Nature’s work is deeply rooted in environmental conservation, and we will protect and further improve this unique urban ecological space. Our nature-based therapeutic approach complements the preservation of Pensford Field’s unique ecosystem. Small group sizes and minimal environmental footprint ensure that conservation remains a priority while offering life-changing health benefits to the community​. The evolving use of Pensford Field is an evolution that reflects the growing need for green spaces to serve both ecological and human health functions. Every step will be eco-conscious and sustainable in a way that is nurturing to this beautiful green natural space and sensitive to our surrounding neighbours, using local people’s enthusiasm and expertise to fulfil this exciting community conscious transition. With biodiversity at its heart, we would hope to showcase to other London Boroughs and beyond what can be done with a small patch of outdoor green space, both for the benefit of the environment and the benefit of people in the community. As our original hub, Dose of Nature's presence at Pensford Field has provided the opportunity to scientifically track and validate our proof-of-concept as a nature-based mental health charity that works closely with the NHS. Our partnership with the London School of Economics for a year-long research project related to mental health and environmental conservation will provide further evidence, as we expand to other locations. All these successes have helped us to garner national coverage and interest in our innovative charity. A more firmly established presence at the Field will help secure our national influence as a charity transforming the way mental health is addressed. The transition of the Pensford Field lease to Dose of Nature will provide a sustainable future for the Field and local community use, as well as expanding its impact on mental health, ensuring its conservation for generations to come. We look forward to working with the Council and the Pensford Field Environmental Trust trustees on this transition. They have created a wonderful legacy.

Dose of Nature took to the stage to present ‘A Dose of Nature in Community: An Alternative Professional Practice Model by Counselling Psychologists’ at the British PsychologicalSociety’s Annual Counselling Psychology Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. The 2024 conference celebrated 30 years of counselling psychology in the UK with the conference theme: ‘Dancing between the forest of life and the digital jungle’. The two-day event explored the role of natural psychological support in a highly digitalised world. Team member, Romina, represented Dose of Nature at the event, speaking about the science of why our ‘Nature Prescriptions’ improved the mental health of those that completed their programme in 2022- 2023 by up to 92%. It was a delight to speak with fellow Counselling Psychologists and Psychotherapists and learn that practitioners are enthusiastic about working with the science of Nature as part of their practice.

We were delighted to welcome the RHS Community Outreach Team to our base at Dapdune Wharf for their team away day. We spent time sharing information about the active ingredients of nature but had plenty of opportunities for engaging with nature and having a bit of fun too! Some beautiful gifts in nature were left for other visitors to the site to enjoy.

This week marked the 50 th anniversary of the Clinical Psychology doctorate programme at the University of Surrey, and we were delighted to be invited to talk about the w ork we are doing at Dose of Nature . Aneisha Sandhu, trainee Clinical Psychologist, talked to staff and clinical supervisors from across Surrey and South London about her placement with us at our Guildford site. 

We attend the Director General of the National Trust's Annual Garden party

We were once again blessed with beautiful blue skies and sunshine for our Guildford monthly conservation group. Our group worked on cutting back overgrowth along the river, as well as removing the invasive Penny Wort weed. We were delighted to welcome the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey to join us as part of his Surrey Day itinerary.

Dose of Nature clients and volunteers take part in Bank Holiday Dawn Chorus Walk

Dose of Nature Stall at Roehampton University for Mental Health Awareness Week

Dr Georgina Gould speaks to BBC Radio Surrey and BBC Radio Sussex

A Little Dose of Nature wins the Blueberry Changemaker Award in America!

This Easter, we invited young people to a creative craft workshop at Pensford Field

This World Mental Health Day, Romina talked to students and staff at Richmond College about Dose of Nature, and some of the science behind the mental health benefits of spending time in natural environments. Romina and Steph spent the afternoon answering questions from students at the college, and sharing the details of our young persons’ programme.

Despite the blustery conditions, we had a wonderful time celebrating the season with our Dose of Nature family at Pensford Field this July. Huge thanks to everyone who braved the winds to join us!

We very much enjoyed being part of this year's international Pint of Science festival, when Dr Georgina Gould explained the science behind the mental health benefits of nature to a new audience at a pub in Chiswick.

We were thrilled to be asked by the Eden Project to participate in their fantastic podcast series, Conversations in the Canopy. In one of the first episodes, “Why do plants make us happy?”, our very own Dr Georgina Gould talks to the Eden Project’s Todd Coleman about scientific evidence that shows how a daily dose of nature can improve our mental health and wellbeing. You can access the podcast on various platforms including Spotify and Apple , or you can click here to listen on YouTube .

We were delighted to take part in Kew's very first Ecofair, where we enjoyed lots of nature-based activities with members of our local community, and encouraged people to make or strengthen their own connection with nature. Lots of people tried our 20-minute Nature-Connectedness challenge, and savoured a few peaceful moments of 'treelaxation'. We had plenty of help to create a huge mandala from natural materials in the courtyard. On these little wooden discs, we asked people to make a pledge to the planet on one side, and something in nature that they feel grateful for on the other. The branches were filled with inspiration in no time. Our thanks and congratulations go to the team at St Luke's church for hosting a wonderful day!

We are so proud to share the exciting news that our brand-new book, A Little Dose of Nature, has recently been published! This beautifully illustrated book, aimed at 5 -8 year-olds, provides the opportunity to explain the mental health benefits of nature to young children. As well as explaining nature ' s five active ingredients (fractal patterns, nature sounds, phytoncides, soil bacteria and sunlight), the book includes 25 fun activities to help children discover all the amazing benefits they can bring. A Little Dose of Nature is published by eco-imprint Ivy Kids, who create planet friendly books. All books published by Ivy Kids are printed locally on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. We’re hoping to see A Liitle Dose of Nature in local bookshops soon. In the meantime, you can support indie bookshops by buying your copy from Bookshop.org – where at least 10% of each sale goes directly to a local indie bookshop of your choice .

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our Christmas party. It was wonderful to see so many of our Dose of Nature family there. Special thanks go to all the talented musicians who treated us to some festive music and sing-alongs around the fire, to Jo and Mandy for the most delicious veggie chilli, and to Chris for getting us dancing. What better way to share a little joy at Christmas.

We're excited that Kew Sparkle has chosen Dose of Nature as their charity to support this year. A number of our staff, clients and volunteers will be helping at this special annual event in our local community calendar so please come along to Kew Village between 5pm and 8pm on Fri 2nd December and share in some Christmas cheer! We hope to see you there

Through our Young People’s Programme, we provide fun and interesting Nature Prescriptions to 15 to 17-year-olds, aimed at encouraging engagement with the natural world for the benefits it brings to mental health and wellbeing. The young people in our programme have an opportunity to access a variety of nature-based activities during their one-to-one Nature Prescription and beyond. Through psychoeducation, experiential activities, and motivational support, they learn new habits that last a lifetime. We recently held our first workshop exclusively for young people, during which the group created this beautiful mandala together. The workshop feedback was glowing, with one participant saying “young people need this, they just don’t know that they do”.

We’re incredibly proud of our wonderful Assistant Psychologist, George, who is preparing to take on a tremendous challenge to complete a Spartan Ultra Marathon, and in so doing is raising funds for Dose of Nature. This gruelling challenge includes 60 obstacles along a 50k course! To support George in this amazing effort and donate to Dose of Nature, click here

We recently enjoyed a glorious Saturday at the Kew Horticultural Society summer show on Kew Green. In the run up to the show, our amazing Art in Nature group created some fabulous miniature pieces of nature inspired art to include in our ever popular Lucky Dip. We are especially proud of everyone who entered the competitions on the day, including our wonderful Knitting and Nattering group who won second prize for their wonderful “ Threads of Life ” creation in an exceptionally close contest. We are thankful to the KHS team for organising such a great day, to all those who supported us by taking part in our Lucky Dip, and to everyone who visited our stall. 

We were delighted to be invited by English Heritage to offer a series of workshops at Marble Hill House this summer for women who are survivors of domestic abuse. The workshops focused on increasing their engagement with the natural world for the benefits this brings to mental health and wellbeing.  Using nature, art, meditation, poetry and talking, the group enjoyed being together and expressing themselves creatively within the beautiful grounds of Marble Hill Park. During the workshop, the group connected with a favourite white Poplar Tree, pictured here, and named it Helena, which means “the Shining One”. We are extremely grateful to the team at English Heritage for supporting this work and enabling us to help some truly amazing women.

Thanks to generous support from the wonderful Through the Noise and the stunning Asgill House, we are delighted to be hosting weekly live music sessions for our Dose of Nature community in the beautiful garden at Asgill House throughout the summer. Each session feature s a renowned classical or jazz musician performing music inspired by nature. Live performance i s interspersed with discussion about each piece and its connection to nature. These uplifting sessions have a lso inspired some to share their own musical talents and creations with the group. 

The latest addition to our group programme is a weekly hour of yoga in nature. One of our wonderful volunteers leads Hatha Yoga classes that are suitable for all abilities. So far the group has provided a wonderfully warm and welcoming opportunity for some to try yoga for the very first time, and for others to enjoy their first experience of practicing yoga outside. Needless to say, at Dose of Nature, we are big fans of this blissful combination of yoga and nature!

We were delighted to spend a sunny Saturday celebrating summer with our Dose of Nature family. The image above is the beautiful artwork that our very own Hannah painted for our invitations to set the scene for a special day! The day started with breakfast at Pensford Field, before many set out to walk a quarter or half marathon route around the borough, returning for refreshments, a barbecue and general merriment in the afternoon. We were treated to a wonderful array of delicious homemade salads and deserts that filled our 'bring and share' buffet tables. Our ever popular arts tent, showcasing some Dose of Nature creations had a steady flow of visitors throughout the day, and a paddling pool proved to be as popular as the games tent for the young and the young at heart as the sun shone! Many were particularly grateful for the cool shade of the trees as they gathered under the canopy to enjoy each other's company. Our heartfelt thanks go to all those who raised sponsorship for their walk, those who brought contributions for the buffet, and especially to everyone who came along to spend time with us on the day!

Following the success of our programme in the Borough of Richmond, we have been asked to make our nature prescriptions available across the 22 GP practices of neighbouring borough, Kingston upon Thames. We are delighted to be broadening our reach, and are seeking to recruit new volunteers in the Kingston area. If you, or someone you know, may be interested in volunteering with us, please click here for full details of how to get involved. We'd love to hear from you!

Dose of Nature had a wonderful day at Kew Midsummer Fete, a fantastic event organised by local volunteers to raise money for local charities. We were amongst 100 stalls present, and thoroughly enjoyed sharing our work while engaging attendees with various activities including art, poetry, and the ever popular Dose of Nature Lucky Dip! We also supplied thirsty patrons with homemade elderflower cordial, made by one of our very own volunteers who had personally foraged for the elderflower locally. We congratulate Kew Fete on a brilliant, well-planned event and offer a huge thank you for choosing to support Dose of Nature along with some of our fellow local charities. We are thrilled to have the support of this annual highlight in our community!

Thank you to Healthwatch Richmond for inviting us to represent our charity at their event celebrating Black History Month. York House was the stunning location for this special evening, where we had the opportunity to meet many fellow charities and health services based in Richmond upon Thames, and to speak with attendees about the important work we do and how we can help the community with our 10-week nature prescription programme . It was a wonderful occasion with inspiring speeches celebrating black history across the Richmond borough. Photo credit: Jules Renahan Photography

At the beginning of October, we hosted our very first Dose of Nature Sponsored Walk. Despite the torrential rain, our budding walkers came ready for a grand adventure, with waterproofs and high spirits in tow. The fire pit was alight, and our chefs were busy on the BBQs, keeping our guests fed and warm on this wet and windy autumn day. We also had an art exhibition showcasing our clients’ artwork, plus music, and poetry readings. It was lovely to experience our clients’ beautiful creations from the weekly creative groups. We are so grateful to all who participated, and it was lovely to see so many people from our community supporting our charity. All the money raised is helping Dose of Nature to continue offering an outstanding service to the Richmond Borough. This will be an annual event, so watch this space for news of our Sponsored Walk 2022! If you missed the opportunity to join us this year, but you would still like to make a contribution, please visit our Supporters page .

This year’s new Knitting and Nattering in Nature group has been a huge success. This supportive and fun group forms part of our wonderful programme which is accessible to our clients undergoing their 10-week nature prescription , and as continued support for those who have completed it. We have welcomed people as young as 21, and across the decades up to age 80 plus. This group is for every age and ability, with complete beginners and advanced knitters enjoying the creative activities together. Guided by our group leader, Stef, our knitters come together to create beautiful joint projects and to work on their own individual pieces of work. Knitting in nature has helped our clients to gain confidence, chatting with each other and learning something new and positive. It’s a real highlight in the week and it’s wonderful seeing the amazing creations come into fruition.

We are excited to announce that our first Dose of Nature Sponsored Walk will take place on Saturday 2nd October. We welcome the support of our community on this wonderful day, where you can walk (or run) a half or quarter marathon along a beautiful trail exploring the natural beauty of the Thames towpath. We will celebrate back at Pensford Field with food, drink, music, and merriment. We hope you will join us for what promises to be a very special day. All the money raised will be used to help our blossoming charity continue providing a great service to the borough. After such a challenging year where it has been so difficult to raise funds, we are doing everything we can to accommodate the growing number of referrals we receive, and our aim is to avoid keeping vulnerable clients on waiting lists. The kindness and generosity of our community will have a vast impact on the lives of those who need our support. For more information on how you can get involved, please contact us at info@doseofnature.org.uk.

Dose of Nature's Chief Executive had the honour of having tea with Sir David Attenborough, who attended the Kew Horticultural Summer (KHS) Show and presented prizes to the talented winners of this amateur competition. The KHS Show is the highlight of the August Bank Holiday calendar for many, and this year was extra special following a year of disruption and cancelled events because of the pandemic. The community were extremely generous with donations to Dose of Nature who have seen a threefold increase in GP referrals in the last 6 months, compared to 2020 referrals. We were supported on the day by volunteers and clients who kindly shared their experiences with the Kew community, painted pebbles with the children and raised money by selling artwork and jewellery donated by our supporters.

Recently, we opened our beautiful Dose of Nature Sensory Garden in the stunning grounds of York House in Twickenham. The Mayor, Councillor Geoff Acton, cut the ribbon, declaring the garden open and available for the community to enjoy. On this gloriously warm summer afternoon, guests explored the planting which has been cleverly designed to intrigue our five senses, sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. You can visit this beautiful space to relax and unwind, and learn about how spending time in nature can have a positive effect on our psychological and physiological wellbeing.

Mental health is a major concern for young people in the UK, so the Richmond upon Thames Voluntary Fund have chosen to support us alongside three other charities in 2021/22. This year, the Borough wants to prioritise mental health charities that are supporting children and young people, and we are delighted to have been selected to support young people through increased engagement with the natural world. The Borough recognises the great work we’re already doing to support young people and with this extra funding, we will be able to support more young people struggling with mental health issues at what is a particularly difficult time. Head to the Richmond Borough Upon Thames website to find out more .

Ed Davey, Sarah Olney and Luisa Porritt met Alison who told them all about Dose of Nature and how being based in nature enables the charity to continue supporting individuals throughout the pandemic. They also spoke with Emma, a member of the Dose of Nature community, who shared her experience of the mental health and wellbeing benefits of the Dose of Nature Prescription, as well as her enjoyment of being a Dose of Nature Guide.

Ali, a Health and Care Professions Council registered music therapist, now delivers 1-to-1 sessions in nature for Dose of Nature clients, bringing together the powerful mental health and wellbeing benefits of music and nature.

 "It was a great experience. I made friends, connected with nature in a way I have never done before and also learnt about the massive benefits that nature has on my mental health and overall well being."

This report featured a visualisation of a walk through the countryside via a zoom call, as well as examples of the virtual sessions we are carrying out during lockdown. Pictured is one of our 'art and nature' sessions, where participants shared their nature-inspired art work.

We are aware that almost everyone is experiencing increased stress and anxiety levels in the face of coronavirus. However, we want to remind you that supporting your mental health is important, now more than ever. Many people are self-isolating or are being quarantined but that does not mean that your mental health has to suffer. Whether you have access to nature or not, you can still use nature to support your mental health. Here are 5 tips on how to get your dose of nature if you are indoors: 1. Play nature sounds including birdsong, running water and wind. These are the three most soothing sounds to humans (check out our favourite Spotify playlist here: https://spoti.fi/2Qy9Daj). 2. Create a comfortable spot near a window that you can visit daily. Look out and up at the sky. What can you see? Birds? Clouds? 3. Get creative and paint or draw some natural objects or scenes. These could be from your view out of a window, your imagination, or from pictures you may find in books or on the internet. 4. Watch some nature documentaries. 5. Share your favourite memory in nature with those around you, or you can write about it! Let us know if you have any other creative ways that you are, or plan on getting your dose of nature, we would love to hear them.

Back for 2020, Dose of Nature are running our 'Creative Writing in Nature' course for the second time. This group is offered to those participating in the Dose of Nature Prescription programme. This is a six-week gentle course aimed at appreciating the natural world. We are a small supportive group who come together weekly to encourage one another to experiment and play with language. There is no right or wrong when it comes to creative writing. This course is about pleasure. The pleasure we get from being out in nature and the pleasure of finding just the right words to express ourselves. Each week we spend as much time as possible outside - observing, touching, smelling, listening, possibly even tasting (if it happens to be edible) what interests us most. The natural world has a way of offering human beings both inspiration and relaxation. That is a perfect combination when it comes to aiding creativity.

New for 2020, Dose of Nature now runs an 'Art in Nature' group every Monday morning. This group is offered to those participating in the Dose of Nature Prescription programme.Taking place outside at Pensford Field, we use the natural setting to inspire our individual creativity. At our first session, participants produced these beautiful textural sketches of the surrounding woodland.

To celebrate our first year as a registered UK charity, we invited the Dose of Nature community to our very first Christmas party. Over 50 people attended this special event where we shared BBQs, smores, the warmth from the fire-pits and our joint love of nature. A particular highlight was hearing the wonderful work of our writing group - their poems inspired by nature were incredibly moving.

On the 27th of November, Dose of Nature attended the Surrey Hills Symposium 2019 on the Natural Health Service - harnessing the benefits of nature for health. We were honoured to have been featured as an example of the nature interventions delivered within Surrey to improve mental health, alongside other organisations. We were also pleased to see our Founding Director Dr Alison Greenwood's Doctoral research on nature and young people being presented by Dr Birgitta Gatersleben, an Environmental Psychologist, in her talk on 'restoring young minds in the Surrey Hills'. Dr William Bird, GP and expert on the Natural Health Service, also attended and delivered an inspiring talk on how nature can improve our health and wellbeing. For more information about the event, see: https://www.surreyhills.org/symposium-2019/

In October 2019, another group of volunteers completed their training programme to become Dose of Nature Guides , with a combination of classroom learning, and activities and exercises in the glorious urban nature reserve at Pensford Field in Kew. The two day course, run by an experienced psychologist, provides volunteers with the skills to inspire others to experience nature in a way that is beneficial to their mental health, as part of our Dose of Nature Prescription Programme.

Frankie Cox, aged 13, completed the volunteering section of her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award with Dose of Nature. Having researched the mental health benefits of natural environments and learnt about the science behind why nature is so beneficial, she developed a 'youth trail' around Kew Gardens. She considered exercises and activities that she thought would be particularly fun and engaging for teenagers and then lead a group of young people on a mindful walk along her trail, teaching them ways to use all their senses in order to maximise the mental health benefits of being in nature.