A group of patients from a Greenock hospital were the latest to take part in a Forestry Commission Scotland project to give people a taste of the great outdoors. A mixture of 12 inpatients and outpatients from the Ravenscraig Hospital spent 12 weeks in parts of the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park as part of the Branching Out project. A number of activities were laid on, including nature walks, trails, planting trees and building bird boxes. The Branching Out project is part of Forestry Commission Scotland’s on-going commitment to encouraging people to get involved with their local woodlands. At the conclusion of the project, the participants were honoured at a graduation ceremony, celebrating their achievements with their friends and family.

Encouragement to Get Active

Since the Branching Out programme began in 2007, fifty groups have taken part in the scheme, which is designed for adults who use mental health services in Scotland. The programme has been hailed as a great success, and has been encouraging people to get their outdoor clothing on and interact with their local environment. Kirsty Catherine of Forestry Commission Scotland spoke of the positive effect the programme has had on the lives of the participants, saying that the “programme has been a terrific success.”

Emphasis on Mental Health

The manager of Clyde Mursheil Regional Park, Charlie Woodward praised the programme, underlining the commitment to health of the park authority. “Health improvement is an important priority, with an increasing emphasis on mental health,” confirmed Woodward.