Region - North East England

Scroll down to read all about the projects in this region or click on the project you are interested in.

Flotsam & Jetsam Tour

Run by: The Walker Challenge Group
Area: Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE6 4EY
Ecominds award amount: £8,810

Please note: This project has completed its Ecominds-funded work. However, it may still be offering similar opportunitues for volunteers. Please contact this project directly for further information.

In summer 2011, the Flotsam & Jetsam Tour supported a group of mental health service users to get an Environmental Award with The John Muir Trust. Participants completed the required four challenges along the coast of Northumberland. To obtain the award, participants were involved in the following activities:

Participants engaged in activities that they would not normally do and this helped educate them about the benefits of the outdoor natural world to their physical and mental health.

The group will present an exhibition of their experiences in a local gallery in September 2011.

Note: the project is due to complete in summer 2011.

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Healthy Parks, Healthy Minds

Run by: Groundwork North East
Area: Morpeth, NE61 6RG
Ecominds award amount: £55,553

Please note: This project has completed its Ecominds-funded work. However, Groundwork is looking to re-establish the project and offer similar opportunitues for volunteers. Please contact this project directly for further information.

The Healthy Parks, Healthy Minds project supported volunteers with mental health problems in practical environmental improvements in local parks. Volunteers were trained in activities such as woodland management, bulb planting, path building, making homes for wildlife, building bridges, boardwalk, benches etc, and pruning.

Interested in joining?

Phone Anna Edwards at Groundwork North East on 01670 514876.

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Load of Old Rubbish

Run by: Finchale Training College
Area: Durham
Ecominds award amount: £13,250

Please note: This project has completed its Ecominds-funded work. However, it may still be offering similar opportunitues for volunteers. Please contact this project directly for further information.

This £13,250 grant enabled trainees from Finchale Training College to design, build and install a garden for the Royal Horticultural Society’s annual flower show at Tatton Park in Cheshire.

The theme of the garden was recycling and conservation and all elements of the garden were constructed by the trainees from recycled materials and the plants grown by them at the college.

The garden featured in the July 2009 Tatton show and was awarded a silver medal. The same garden was also presented at the Gateshead Summer Flower Show later in the same year and was awarded a gold medal.

Interested in joining?

Unfortunately this project has now completed, but to find out more about Finchale Training College, visit their website or telephone 0191 386 2634.

Muddy Wellies Ecotherapy Provision

Run by: Villa Real School
Area: Consett, DH8 6BH
Ecominds award amount: £58,498

Please note: This project has completed its Ecominds-funded work. However, it may still be offering similar opportunitues for volunteers. Please contact this project directly for further information.

Muddy Wellies provides ecotherapy for young people aged 2 to 25 all of whom have severe learning difficulties. Some have additional physical difficulties, sensory or communication impairments, autism and/or severe challenging behaviour.

Participants are provided with opportunities in the natural environment to connect with the healing beneficial properties of nature. In addition, they're also given the chance to be a carer for something else, may it be a plant of an animal. 

Activities are varied, to date we’ve arranged camping holidays in the Lake District, with adventurous outdoor education including canoeing, climbing, gorge walking, coasteering. We’ve also arranged horse riding, stable management, farm work experience, and many more animal related activities. Plus we’ve run a summer holiday eco arts club with the help of our artist in residence.

The children love coming here, it is fantastic to see how much they interact with the animals. Linda, owner of The Highland Cattle Centre.

We are having a fantastic time, it’s great. Tom, 17

I love working with animals on the farm. Lee, 17

Interested joining?

Give Rachael a ring on 01207 503651 to arrange a look around the project and explore the possibilities to join us for an activity.

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Out and About

Run by: Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind
Area: Middlesbrough and Stockton, TS1 5AU
Ecominds award amount: £106,308
Supporting impact award amount: £41,554

Out and About has been set up by Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind and Middlesbrough Environment City thanks to the Ecominds grant. Working with existing environmental projects, Out and About supports people with mental health problems to engage in environmentally sustainable activities.

Activities include allotment and food growing schemes, nature conservation, creation of natural play areas and the promotion of sustainable transport such as walking and cycling -  helping to promote awareness of environmental issues among clients and their local communities, as well as increasing understanding of mental health issues, promoting social inclusion and community cohesion.

Our project Support and Development Officer helps support service users at the project and also works alongside other organisations delivering environmental activities to help them support and involve people with mental health needs and their families.

It’s about time someone did something about it, it’s got to a point where you bring your kids to school through the town rather than along the beck because of all the litter and dog dirt.  You’ve made a real difference. Local resident after seeing a local beck renovated by a community group including Out and About participants

I like being outside and talking to the other people on the project.  It gives me a reason to get up in the mornings. Jon

I didn’t think I would like the walk as I get really nervous when I’m outside but I felt safe and talking with Jim [the support worker] and the other walkers took my mind off worrying.  After the walk me and my husband decided to walk home rather than get a taxi. Debra

Interested in joining?

If you or someone you know would like to get involved with the Out and About project please email Jim Woods (Support and Development Worker) or call 01642 803737.
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