Ecotherapy at St Nicks
*** Please note: All of our Ecotherapy groups currently are full and have waiting lists. Please keep checking this website for vacancy updates. For further information, please contact Kathy Sturgess via email: ecotherapy@stnicks.org.uk ***
Ecotherapy promotes good mental and physical wellbeing through outdoor activity in a natural environment. At St Nicks Ecotherapy is offered through a wonderful variety of group activities which are underpinned by one-to one mentoring support. Year round groups are Bearing Fruit, Discover Nature, Nordic Walking, Art-based Creative Writing, Words from the Wild and Plot to Plate. Over the spring and summer months we also offer Get Gardening. New for June 2021, Willow Weaving and Bushcraft! Stay up to date with Ecotherapy by signing up for our seasonal newsletter. If you would like to find out more or arrange an informal chat before enrolling on any of the groups, contact Ecotherapy Project Manager Kathy Sturgess at ecotherapy@stnicks.org.uk. Download an enrolment form on the right hand-side of this web page.
Read on to find out about the benefits of Ecotherapy, how it works at St Nicks, and how to get involved.
Alternatively, you can download our latest Impact Report for May 2020 – April 2021 (a printable version of the report is here) and our external evaluators’ report from the Converge Evaluation and Research Team (CERT).
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Benefits of Ecotherapy
Since 2015, 93% of our Ecotherapy participants experience significant improvements in their overall mental and physical wellbeing. They also report:
- Reduction in stress levels
- Reduction in depression and anxiety
- Improved self-esteem
- Increased levels of physical activity
- Better resilience
- Enhanced social interaction
- Confidence boosted through the learning of new skills
- Feelings of happiness by positively contributing towards the environment
How it works at St Nicks
- Group activities are led by qualified and experienced tutors.
- All participants have access to one-to-one mentor support alongside group activities.
- Nature-centred activities run both on and off site, and are free to attend.
- We offer year-round and season-specific activities.
- Sessions are timetabled around the lunch hour which can be enjoyed with others in a relaxed atmosphere.
- Participants can be part of the project for a few years and afterwards choose to stay involved with St Nicks longer through our volunteer programme.
- To join, find out more or support the project, speak to Ecotherapy staff.
- Please note, there are waiting lists for some of the groups.
Interested? Want to know more?
- Details about all of our Ecotherapy groups can be found here.
- Watch the video below to see us in action.
- Make the first step and complete an enrolment online or download an enrolment form from the downloads section on this page, once completed email it to ecotherapy@stnicks.org.uk or post it to us at St Nicks Environment Centre, Rawdon Ave, York, YO10 3FW.
- For further information contact Ecotherapy Project Manager Kathy Sturgess on 01904 411821 or email ecotherapy@stnicks.org.uk.
The project is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, with additional funding from Purey Cust Trust CIO and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Your Consortium.
