Connecting with nature
Today I walked past what seemed like fields of buttercups and clover, where orchids painted tiny splashes of purple in a canvas of yellow and green. As I turned, there, to my left was another swathe of wildflowers filled with the not-quite-yellow, yellow-rattle. When I woke this morning, I’d no knowledge of either the orchid or the yellow-rattle, or that they are thriving on the edge of Edinburgh, just four miles from my home.
Travel back six months, to January. After a difficult year that had really hit both my mental and physical health, I needed an activity that could get me out of my insolation flat, getting fresh air in greenspaces, and spending time with friends. Just then the wonderful Penny phoned and invited me to join Green Wellies.
It was serendipitous!
Monthly, we have met in a new area of Edinburgh to spend time outdoors to improve both our wellbeing and the beautiful greenspace we find ourselves in. We carry out an activity – path clearing, litter picking… but the focus really isn’t on the practical. It’s more a conduit to being there, sharing time with others, and soaking in the beautiful surroundings.
If you ask me what it means to me… it means that I can share time with friends; that I can make new acquaintances; I can get out of my flat; I can explore new places in Edinburgh that I’ve not seen before; I can learn from the knowledge of others; I benefit from gentle movement; it benefits my mental health; and I get to make a difference in protecting and improving our environment.
What’s not to like about time with Green Wellies? Come and join us. It’s fun, relaxed, and enjoyable.
Our thanks to Julie Ellam for this contribution. Find out more about the Green Wellies Programme
