Brown Rock Woodland CIC’s offer remains open to all residents within North Somerset and the wider area with a particular focus on people with poor mental health, people of all ages, particularly children and young people (CYP) living with long-term health and other challenging conditions. With the wider area we also take referrals from organisations (schools and hospitals) based in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. From our work to date we know we have reached a cross section of North Somerset residents and can support people presenting a range of needs including autism, anxiety, physical health issues and those recovering from substance misuse. It is also very easy for people with any of the above conditions to become socially isolated and experience poor mental health. For older people the sessions provide a meaningful interaction with others and nature, which supports them in daily life. We have found strength in having people with different types and levels of need within a group, as each person brings a different perspective and can share their experiences. Each session is held in a supportive way with a focus on positive resourcing, so whilst difficulties are always acknowledged they do not become the focus of our time together. Our emphasis is on how nature can support us and build our resilience. Using our site where we have access to 30 acres of mature woodland, open fields, outdoor classrooms and a community garden that all offer people a safe place to step into nature. We believe that deepening our personal connection to nature brings transformational benefits for both our health and wellbeing and the natural environment. We offer both nature-based health promotion and green care programmes. Wild Days. These continue to offer a regular and structured day each month, with simple and effective nature-based interventions such as mindfulness, check in & reflection alongside seasonal practical activities in the woodland or community garden. Each day is a stand-alone session, allowing people to attend when they are able as well as acting as an introduction before attending a course or a follow-on afterwards. This is a nature-based health promotion programme. Grow Days offered light volunteer sessions in our community garden. They were held fortnightly during the main growing season (April - October). Welcome Days were held one Saturday per month from May through to December in the form of an open day. These were open to anyone and there was no fixed time to drop in. We provided refreshments and allowed access to all areas of the land and to meet the animals. It was great to see so many families attend and get out in nature. We were very lucky with the weather, which helped and generally had 60 -70 attendees on each session. Wild Pathways is a six-session structured NatureWell course, which takes participants through the 5 Pathways to Nature connection. It is designed to provide a green care offer for people living with long term health issues and or mental ill health. Space and time are given for participants to create a coherent group that take part in both nature connectedness and practical conservation activities. People were recruited through our current networks and promotions, with both self-referral and link worker referral possible. As people deepen their connection to nature, they can sustain a greater sense of wellbeing over time. Working with two facilitators for up to 12 attendees works for both the day sessions and six-week courses. This allows the time and space for everyone to contribute and for a coherent group to form. Donkey Wellbeing Therapy has gone from strength to strength through the year. It is primarily aimed at CYP. This has initially be aimed at children who are struggling with school due to a mental health or autistic spectrum issue. They can learn animal welfare skills and learn about body language and emotions and how to control their own energy levels by understanding the animal’s behavioral responses and emotions. Student Work Experience weeks provide opportunity for those students in their last year at secondary school to come to Brown Rock and experience/get involved with the daily running – be that land maintenance, animal welfare or assisting with the wellbeing sessions. In terms of numbers, the table below gives the opportunities we have provided in the period. Activity Number of sessions/year Places available/year Attendees/year Wild Days 12 144 112 Wild Pathways 2 x 6 weeks24 1 Grow Days 14 140 102 Welcome Days 7 open 350+ Donkey Therapy 102 37 37* Student W/Ex 2 weeks 12 10 *The participants for the donkeys generally attended 3 sessions each The team at Brown Rock, in various capacities, continue to champion the need for nature-based interventions to become commissioned. Our involvement in the Green Social Prescribing (GSP) initiative demonstrates the importance of consistency in these projects and help strengthen the case for green care provision in meeting the growing health crisis. With the NatureWell approach there is significant evaluation of this work that supports the value of time in nature for both our physical health and mental wellbeing. Research also shows that we need to move beyond pure contact with nature to a deeper nature connection to experience the full benefits for ourselves and the environment. This relationship with nature can be developed through the 5 Pathways to Nature Connection, as identified by Miles Richardson at the University of Derby, which is integral to our delivery. Our delivery days provide a supportive structure for participants, with the knowledge that they can contribute as much as they feel able at any time. We know that being outside in nature helps most people feel more at ease, as it offers a spaciousness that helps reduce anxiety. Having a structure for the day means people know in general what is going to happen and that they can sit out any activity that they feel is too much for them. We ensure everyone is valued and listened to so they can feel comfortable in a social situation. The connection with nature that people develop with us can continue to grow and be experienced at other times. Feedback from our Wild Day participants, ‘The way the sessions are structured are perfect for feeling present in the moment. The pace is good and there is no feeling of pressure in any of the activities. It feels a very safe space in which to be with others. The facilitators are excellent in creating this safe space.’ ‘I suffer a lot of anxiety and always find I am calmer at the end than at the beginning. Doing the willow weaving I found particularly mindful’ Being part of a safe environment with no judgement enabled me to feel ok about myself.’ Feedback from the Donkey Wellbeing from Students and families “It's hard to find suitable activities for my son where he feels totally at ease, but animals do seem to hit the spot! Since the pandemic it’s been hard to get him to try new things, so we have hit the bull’s eye with the donkeys!!” “My daughter is really looking forward to her last session this week. She told me that being with the donkeys makes her feel free.” “My child suffers from anxiety, being with the animals really helps her and hearing how much she loves your donkeys has been so great.” “For our older pupils transitioning to college after being with us from reception, Brown Rock has been a lovely stepping stone on their journey. Visiting a new environment, meeting new people and learning life skills is so beneficial to their self-confidence equipping them with the tools to cope going forward into their adult life.” Ravenswood, SEN school. “Allowing the children to work at their own pace with no expectation, completely accepted as themselves is a powerful tool in building self-confidence and self-belief. What an amazingly nurturing place you have created.” “Bringing my daughter and doing the sessions together has been a real bonding experience for us. After a long stay in hospital with an eating disorder it was so good to be outdoors and working together as a team with the animals, laughing and making memories.” “So lovely to see the bond grown between my child and Toby, after months of inpatient mental health treatment it was so good to see a glimpse of her old self, working with the donkeys.” “We come back every welcome day for our daughter to see Ben & Toby. They are a big part of her life. We have a photo wall in her room with lots of pictures of her time at Brown Rock. We are always welcomed and our daughter always sends postcards if we are away and brings back some treats for the donkeys.” “It has been really wonderful to watch my Grandson’s confidence grow working with the donkeys. He has learnt so much about himself from his sessions and the patience and understanding shown to him. He now volunteers on the welcome days helping other children feel comfortable around the donkeys and sharing his knowledge.” “I wasn't sure how my daughter would cope with her sessions as in a whole year of reception she hasn't spoken to her teacher. Within 1 session she was chatting away and because the focus was on the donkeys and not on her she was in her element.” “I came as a support worker with my service user who has severe anxiety. She said it felt so good to be out in the fresh air and moving her body in a constructive way. She loved all aspects of the donkey care.”

Brown Rock is continually working with individuals and organisations to ensure we have the right pathways for people to access our provision. Brown Rock is in a strong place to continue discussions and develop needed work programmes with an ongoing working relationship with a number of local groups/organisations. Tyntesfield Medical Group NHS Primary Care Social Prescribing Network North Somerset Wellbeing Collective Create Together/No 65 Community Hub We are Aware Off The Record And with the CYP A growing number of primary and secondary schools, mainstream and SEN CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services) Bristol Children’s Hospital BNSSG ICS (Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire Integrated Care System)

No remuneration was received

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration