ARC CIC aims to transform under-used or undeveloped assets in Warwick District to create quality open spaces that can contribute to people’s mental and physical health and wellbeing.
One of the services delivered by the organisation at Foundry Wood, a community woodland in Leamington Spa, is called ‘Ecotherapy’. Ecotherapy successfully uses nature as a healer for people with mild to moderate mental health problems. The wood offers a place of calm where they can come together and feel part of a group while taking part in therapeutic activities.
The Ecotherapy service had to cease at the start of the pandemic for 4.5 months due to the lockdown. ARC staff had to think quickly about how this important service could be continued, as they knew COVID-19 was likely to have a disproportionately negative impact on Ecotherapy group members. The challenge was to find new ways to adapt an outdoor service for a sensitive audience to virtual indoor meetings, while preserving sympathetic delivery, retaining active listening remotely and safeguarding the community involved.
Facebook Live was also chosen as the primary delivery channel as it offered ‘real time’ connections between group members which could also be recorded allowing people to watch sessions back later. It also allowed for mindful activities to be run, such as a meditation or nature reading, and light physical activities like stretches, yoga, or even seated exercises to take place. Around 15 - 25 people interacted via Facebook each week either in real time or later. On a weekly basis staff also shared something that helped participants to ‘keep learning’.
A WhatsApp group was also formed to help connect with participants between sessions - sharing photos, music and more regular 'check ins' with a mutually supportive group.
As lockdown restrictions eased, face to face sessions re-commenced back at Foundry Wood. The need for smaller group sizes, to ensure social distancing, meant that these sessions were recorded for those unable to attend, due to the limit on numbers. The group now feels it is important to maintain this blended offer going forward.
Feedback from participants includes:
“The Zoom chat has helped a lot, just having that time each week to connect with others. It would have been much harder without that. The WhatsApp group and just sharing nice things, poems, nature photos and songs has kept me more connected.”
“I only attended one morning’s session, but it helped by reminding me there are other people who have to actively work to maintain their mental health, and that sometimes they too have days when they can’t manage very well.”
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