Award-winning future for innovative natural wellbeing

A partnership project which aims to improve individuals wellbeing through using the power of nature has been recognised in the North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards 2020 that sought to recognise the region’s top innovators and researchers in healthcare.

Myplace, a ground-breaking partnership between The Lancashire Wildlife Trust and The Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust were winners of the ‘Partnership in Innovation’ award.

Anne Selby, Chief Executive of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust said “We are absolutely thrilled to receive such recognition for this fantastic project. We have worked tirelessly together with our NHS partners to make this a success since launching several years ago. Since then we have welcomed many individuals to the project. We know from feedback that this project is changing lives, and we want to see it not only continue, but to thrive across the North West and the model replicated across the UK.”

David Eva, Chair at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Wildlife can have a dramatic impact on helping people with their mental health and this has been proven through the success of the MyPlace project, which has been improving people’s wellbeing for more than three years. Becoming socially isolated is a huge issue in today’s society and being in nature can really help recovery, calming the mind and body. I’m delighted it has been recognised in this way and would like to thank everyone who helped make it such a huge success.”

Myplace provides a natural way to wellbeing, and has supported 1,200 people to improve their mental health through access to nature. With delivery at ‘hub’ sites across Lancashire, mental health teams have been supported to refer people from 11 years old through to groups aged over 50 to improve their wellbeing by taking practical steps to engage with the five ways to wellbeing. Results show people are experiencing life-changing improvements in their mental health.

Myplace is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund through ‘Our Bright Future’ and ‘Reaching Communities England’ and The European Social Fund. Myplace is active across numerous locations throughout Lancashire and we have recently expanded our work into Bolton and Wyre. We work with a wide-range of ages and abilities and can offer an almost immediate start in most cases.

Think you or someone you know could benefit from Myplace? Get in touch with our friendly team today for an informal chat and let’s feel better, together. Call us on 01772 872007 or drop us an email to [email protected] today.