A Dose of Nature: Our national parks as a natural health service Sophie Brigstocke, Divine Charura, Jenny Hall, James Metcalfe, Heather McNiff, Tom Ratcliffe, Olivia Sharpley and Kiri Wood
Event details
Welcome to the Natural Health Service! In this interactive workshop, we’ll step into the great outdoors to discover the powerful impact on human health and wellbeing of spending time in our protected landscapes.
Protected Landscapes generate economic, social and health value for both their regions and the nation. At this event, we’ll investigate how a Natural Health Service can integrate these values into current systems and services. We’ll explore why access to nature matters, how being outdoors engages our senses, and how a green-social prescribing programme through the NHS can support our health and wellbeing.
The event will include lightning talks by a research team currently exploring these ideas in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the North York Moors National Park.
The workshop is supported by York Business School and the Institute for Health and Care Improvement at York St John University, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the North York Moors National Park, the North York Moors Trust and the Nidderdale and Howardian Hills National Landscapes.
It is also supported by two current research projects - A Natural Health Service in North Yorkshire and Nature Prescriptions in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. These are led by York St John University in partnership with the Yorkshire Dales National Park, North York Moors National Park, Nidderdale National Landscape and the Howardian Hills National Landscape.
Please join us for insights, discussion and a dose of nature.
Image credit: North York Moors Trust
About the speakers
James Metcalfe is the Executive Director of the North York Moors Trust.
Dr Tom Ratcliffe is a Lecturer and a Researcher in human-nature relations in protected landscapes at York St John University.
Heather McNiff is Head of Engagement and Wellbeing at the North York Moors National Park.
Dr Sophie Brigstocke is a Psychology Lecturer and Researcher at York St John University.
Professor Divine Charura is a Professor of Counselling Psychology at York St John University.
Olivia Sharpley is a Masters student at York St John University researching Nature Prescriptions in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Dr Jenny Hall is an Associate Professor in Cultural Geographies at York St John University.
Kiri Wood is the Yorkshire Dales National Park’s Engagement and Wellbeing Officer.
Partners
