Green Exercise Revolution
The world faces obesity and mental health crises and we all need new and innovative ways to help society's most vulnerable.
In a bid to improve lives across the globe our researchers discovered Green Exercise, which combines the soothing power of nature with the benefits of physical activity.
For more than two decades our researchers have been paving the way and helping charities, health bodies, and governments make a real difference.
Green Exercise was born in Essex more than 20 years ago and has sparked a revolution in how to help people with mental and physical health issues.
Our academics in the School of Sport, Rehabilitation, and Exercise Sciences have explored new and innovative ways to combine nature and exercise to help transform lives.
These pioneering researchers have worked with partners across the country like Mind, the RSPB, Wildlife Trusts and the Wilderness Foundation to shape new and exciting ways to boost public health.
Find out more below -
Collaborative research with the RSPB discovered 15-16-year-olds feel least connected to nature and more needs to be done to encourage them to exercise outdoors more and foster a connection with the environment.
Working with the national network of Wildlife Trusts scientists discovered the well-being of more than two-thirds of volunteers improved after just six weeks.
With Dominic Higgins, Nature and Wellbeing Manager at The Wildlife Trusts, praising the work as making “a powerful case for nature having a larger role in people’s every-day lives".
Domestic abuse survivors have benefitted from a programme developed in collaboration with the Wilderness Foundation. Children, teens and women learn strategies to build a better future whilst learning outdoor skills.
Charity Countrymen UK worked with Essex to review how men with deteriorating physical or mental health can find support in nature. Our researchers helped secure vital funding to expand the programme across the UK.
Researcher Dr Carly Wood is currently deeply involved with charity Trust Links - which is using the power of gardening to improve mental health, wellbeing and the environment in Essex.
The independent charity has sites across the county, where therapeutic gardening, recovery classes, social activities, employment training, environmental workshops is offered to around 4,000 at-risk people per year.
Working across south Essex Trust Links is committed to building stronger communities and transforming lives.
Dr Wood is passionate about exploring how these cost-effective methods can ease the strain on the NHS through green prescribing.
This helps supports people to engage in nature-based interventions and activities to improve their mental and physical health – with the aim of avoiding costly medical intervention later.
The researcher is exploring how the Growing Together gardens help people across Essex and has already discovered that working in a community garden can improve mental well-being by 9%.
Depression and anxiety symptoms also dropped with loneliness and well-being increasing.
The social nature of the gardens also offers safe spaces for vulnerable people who are struggling to socialise.
Volunteers revealed to the researcher how the informal environment helped them discuss issues in an informal way – with one describing it as an ‘Oasis’.
See how it helped people in the video below –
Dr Wood is now trying to engage with health professionals to make them more available and is presenting evidence to policy makers, GPs, and service users.
Dr Wood said: "Therapeutic gardening can improve physical, mental and social health outcomes, providing safe and non-judgemental spaces for recovery.
"It is essential that we work to upscale their availability of these types of interventions to both prevent and treat mental ill-health."
An opinion echoed by the charity's chief executive -
"Community gardening projects have a powerful impact on mental health and wellbeing, giving people’s lives meaning and hope, and enabling people to spend time outdoors with nature"
Matt King - Chief Executive of Trust Links
Find out more
Investigate research and courses at our School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences.
Explore Essex's proud history of Green Exercise and how it has changed lives
Sixty Stories
We’re celebrating 60 years of making change happen. 60 years of boldness and bravery from our students past and present. 60 years of creating change.
Built with Shorthand