When Michael found the fire circle arranged by Project Rewild – a partner of People’s Health Trust’s Nature for Health programme – in Hastings and St Leonards he was in a very dark place. He felt isolated and depressed, under pressure from long working hours and supporting his family. Michael says the group has helped him find connection and friendship for the first time in many years.
“I feel such enormous amounts of gratitude for what I have now, instead of feeling lost in what I lack. I am so thankful that I found this amazing community.”
Being able to speak without judgment was life changing. He now feels supported, heard and less alone. The monthly circles and day activities have become a vital part of his life. They don’t fix all his problems but they help him feel stronger and better able to face life’s challenges. As a result, his relationship with his children and partner have improved and his attitude to work has changed.
Michael’s story is a powerful reminder that mental health pressures are rising – between 2007 and 2024 the prevalence of common mental disorders amongst adults in England rose from 17.6 per cent to 22.6 percent and in 2024 the number of suicides rose to its highest level in 25 years.
The impact is not felt equally. People in disadvantaged communities experience some of the worst mental health outcomes in Great Britain. Anxiety, depression and isolation are more common where secure income, safe housing, social connections and green space are limited.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Through our work with communities, I’ve seen that structural inequality worsens mental health, but local action can improve wellbeing and protect health.
This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week highlights how action can protect and improve our mental health.
Green space for those who need it most
At People’s Health Trust, we work with grassroots organisations in the most disadvantaged communities to improve access to the building blocks of good health. One of these is green space.
Through our Nature for Health programme, we support community-led organisations to remove barriers to spending time outdoors. For people facing isolation, time pressures or lack of transport, access to nature can improve physical and mental health. A ten per cent increase in exposure to nature can give five years of better health.
People supported by our Nature for Health projects report feeling calmer, less isolated and more able to cope with everyday challenges. These changes often begin with small steps: visiting a green space for the first time in years, coming together with others, or rediscovering purpose through growing, walking or caring for a place together.
A better way is possible
Two more examples from our Nature for Health partners show this in practice.
At a singing event in the Growing Together Levenshulme project garden, three people who shared a common language formed a friendship. When two later had to attend a stressful Home Office appointment in Manchester, the third supported them with translation, accommodation and companionship. As the project lead said, “it has been instrumental in helping to support their mental health.”
A few years after losing his wife, Darren started attending North Glasgow Community Food Initiative, volunteering at NGCFI’s allotments in Springburn. He hasn’t looked back since. He soon rediscovered old skills and is now known as the allotment’s handyman. He now shares those skills with other volunteers in the garden, from mending fences, to transforming plots into a beautiful space for children to making bird and bat boxes. Darren says the project has restored his sense of purpose, pride and happiness.
These examples show how community-led access to nature builds social connections, improves wellbeing and creates lasting change.
Join us to help improve more people’s mental health
At People’s Health Trust, we believe grassroots community investment can change lives. This Mental Health Awareness Week, you can support us to fund more projects like these through our Nature for Health programme in the communities that need them most.
By supporting People’s Health Trust, you can help address the root causes of poor mental health – and help more people live longer, healthier lives.
Susan Brown
Susan is People's Health Trust's Head of Grant Programmes
