The Therapeutic Forest CIC is a Social Enterprise founded by a team of therapists with a passion for the outdoors. We deliver projects in UK forests - breaking down barriers to outdoor play for children who are socially marginalised and supporting mental health and wellbeing in adults. We deliver sessions directly in Rossendale, our local community, while training and licensing practitioners across the UK to deliver our therapeutic outdoor interventions in their own regions. Local Delivery, National Reach Over the past year, The Therapeutic Forest CIC has delivered a wide range of therapeutic outdoor and wellbeing programmes, combining direct place-based work in Rossendale with national practitioner licensing to extend our impact across the UK. Our work supports children, families, adults, practitioners and care settings who often face barriers to accessing outdoor spaces, nature connection and mental health support. Direct Therapeutic Delivery Through our traded income model, we reinvest training and licensing income into free frontline provision. This year, we have delivered a total of 69 free events in the community for our beneficiaries; children with SEND, adults with mental health needs or older adults with Dementia. Every session is delivered by experienced outdoor practitioners, with licensed therapists providing specialist input and support, ensuring a safe, inclusive and therapeutic environment. Children, Families and SEND Provision This year we provided therapeutic outdoor support to a total of 117 children with SEND and their families in the local area. Each child often attends with multiple siblings and parents or carers. Children attending our SEND sessions included autistic and ADHD children and other developmental needs. Many had communication differences, including limited or non-verbal communication, and a range of sensory processing needs that affect how they engage with outdoor environments. Our work is informed by ongoing input and support from Speech and Language Therapists, Clinical Psychologists, Occupational Therapists and other allied professionals, enabling us to adapt delivery in meaningful ways. This multidisciplinary input has led to practical adjustments that increase access and participation, including the use of signing, visual supports, objects of reference, sensory-aware pacing, reduced verbal demand and flexible communication approaches, ensuring children can engage safely and effectively in ways that work for them. Parents say: “We watched our 6 year old actually talk to another child for the first time ever - such a huge milestone for him. Just Thankyou, Thankyou and Thankyou! We are so incredibly happy that we got to witness Charlie interacting with other children - the memory of that will make us smile forever!!” “(The sessions) have been such a joy. My son struggles to be amongst others so we often are alone. These sessions mean that my son can safely wander, join in when able - but I am relaxed in the space knowing that he is safe. His Dad and younger brother have also accessed sessions with him, so nice to have something we can do together” “ My children find it difficult to play in nature, finding their sensory difficulties can overwhelm them but these sessions help them engage and have time away from their home environment. They have gained socially from chasing to the staff and other children too. These sessions are great, thank you for making them accessible at no cost.” “ With (my son) being a selective mute and asd he struggles a lot, after just letting staff know they were great with him and rephrased things instead of direct and response and he was able to feel comfortable and join in. He spoke whilst there, but with preschool never said a single word in over a year. Having possibly 4 children on the spectrum attending was a first time thing and they really loved it, thanks again. Fab session and staff were great with the children thank you again”. “You all do a fabulous job, you should be so very proud of yourself making children heard and seen only minutes after meeting them. So thank you for making my daughters feel magical. You have even inspired me too become a forest school leader”. Adult Outdoor Mental Health Provision This year we delivered Woodcraft for Wellbeing support for adults experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties, offering both inperson woodland sessions and an online programme, ensuring access for those unable to attend face-to-face due to location, health, caring responsibilities or anxiety. In-person sessions included spoon carving and Nordic woodland sling braiding, supporting 20 adult participants. Alongside this, 84 adults accessed the Woodcraft for Wellbeing programme online, enabling people to engage with practical, nature-based wellbeing activities from home or local green spaces at their own pace. Participants included adults experiencing anxiety, low mood, stress, burnout and neurodivergent presentations, including ADHD. Across both in-person and online formats, the programme was intentionally designed to be low-pressure, hands-on and accessible, supporting emotional regulation, focus and nervous system calming through practical activity rather than talk-based intervention. Delivery was informed by professional input, including in person support from a neuropsychologist, ensuring the programme was psychologically informed and responsive to participant needs. This enabled flexible pacing, clear structure, reduced cognitive load and optional participation, allowing individuals to engage safely and effectively in ways that worked for them. Participants consistently reported increased calm, improved emotional regulation and greater confidence in applying simple wellbeing strategies in everyday life. Participants said: “The hands-on skills really help to calm my ADHD brain.” “Giving me attainable goals of wellbeing - simple activities that are easy to do and fun.” “It’s opened up more options for how I can improve my wellbeing.” Green Dementia Care A major milestone this year was the launch of our Green Dementia Care programme, Elders of the Woods. Almost one million people in the UK currently live with dementia, a number expected to double over the next 30 years. Developed by a specialist multidisciplinary team, our programme brings structured, nature-based therapeutic approaches into dementia care settings. This year we delivered 13 Green Dementia events, across 5 care homes in Rossendale. This year we delivered 13 Green Dementia events, across 5 care homes in Rossendale, at no cost, to 75 residents. All participating care homes strongly agreed that the sessions supported the mental health and wellbeing of the residents who attended. Staff consistently reported increased calm, engagement and enjoyment during and following sessions, particularly where activities evoked familiarity and positive memories. Care staff said: “One of my ladies who has a diagnosis of dementia can be very unsettled; however, when the fire was lit she was so calm and relaxed. It was wonderful to see.” “The residents enjoyed the fresh air and especially the open fire which evoked nostalgia. These sessions have been thoroughly enjoyed by the attending residents.” Other free programmes for beneficiaries Alongside in-person delivery, The Therapeutic Forest CIC provided a range of online therapeutic and wellbeing programmes, increasing access for adults, children and practitioners who were unable to attend face-to-face due to location, health, anxiety or caring responsibilities. Online programmes included Woodcraft for Wellbeing, Accessible Yoga and Nature Photography. These programmes enabled participants to engage with nature-based wellbeing activities from home or local green spaces, using practical, low-pressure approaches that support emotional regulation, focus and mental wellbeing. In total, our online programmes supported 173 unique beneficiaries. Below are some comments from parents about our online programmes for young people with SEND. “This has made him keen to go on nature walks as he was excited to hunt for plants, flowers and natural resources to photograph”. “We went to three different locations, playing in rivers and forest land, whilst doing what he loves, using technology. The two combined worked wonderfully”. Licensing and National Impact Alongside direct community delivery, a core part of The Therapeutic Forest CIC’s work is training and licensing practitioners across the UK to deliver our therapeutic outdoor interventions in their own regions. This approach allows us to extend our impact beyond Rossendale, supporting communities nationally while maintaining consistent quality, safeguarding and therapeutic standards. National Licensing and Impact Through this licensing and training model, income generated from national delivery is reinvested directly into free local provision, ensuring that community impact and national reach remain closely connected. This approach enables The Therapeutic Forest CIC to reduce reliance on grant funding, maintain high standards of delivery, and continue removing barriers to access for those who need support most. This year, we trained 69 practitioners to deliver our ‘Woodcraft for Wellbeing’ programme- a structured, nature-based mental health intervention for adults experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. Practitioners are trained to use practical woodland activities to support emotional regulation, stress reduction and wellbeing in accessible, non-clinical ways. This programme has been developed by our multidisciplinary therapy team and is now delivered in woodlands throughout the UK. 33 teaching professionals, working in specialist schools throughout the UK, gained a license to deliver our nature support programme for young people with Profound and Multiple Learning disabilities. This means that children with complex needs, throughout the UK are able to receive a weekly programme of outdoor communication and mental health support through nature. 162 Forest School Leaders undertook our training in Therapeutic Skills for Outdoor Leaders, designed to offer a therapeutic forest school experience- focusing on inclusion and mental health. As part of this programme forest school leaders learn how to embed core mental health skills such as emotional regulation, relational safety, behaviour support and trauma-aware practice into everyday outdoor provision for children and adults. Our Approved Practitioner Network Our practitioner network continues to grow, with over 230 Associate Practitioners engaging in training, specialist CPD, peer supervision and clinical discussion groups during the year. Practitioners accessed training in areas including inclusive practice, mental health, neurodiversity, dementia care, grant funding and digital skills, strengthening the sustainability and reach of therapeutic outdoor provision nationwide. Investment in a new license- Mindful Walking This year we launched the Certified Mindful Walking Guide for Children, a new licensed programme designed specifically for Forest School Leaders. The programme introduces essential mindfulness practices and supports practitioners to safely and confidently integrate mindful walking into Forest School and outdoor sessions, extending therapeutic benefit to more children and young people. The programme was offered free of charge to our Approved Practitioner network, representing a direct investment by The Therapeutic Forest CIC into workforce development and sector-wide impact. In total, 130 practitioners trained to become licensed Certified Mindful Walking Guides. By licensing practitioners rather than delivering sessions centrally, this programme enables mindfulness to be embedded safely within everyday outdoor provision across the UK. Based on conservative estimates, with each licensed practitioner working with an average of 80 children per year, the Certified Mindful Walking Guide programme has the potential to reach approximately 10,400 children annually through licensed delivery. This programme represents a scalable, preventative approach to supporting children’s mental health and emotional regulation through accessible, nature-based mindfulness.

The company’s stakeholders are primarily adults with mental health needs and children/young people and their parents/carers throughout Greater Manchester with SEND. For each programme we deliver, stakeholders are consulted, before, during and after programmes. We collect Social Impact Report from parents/carers every 12 weeks, throughout the year. These reports provide families with a chance to make suggestions and let us know what they want more of and less of. Consultations help us to develop the project and ensure that the right level of staffing is provided. We also consult with individuals and families throughout the projects, building time into sessions for discussion and feedback. Those who attend our sessions have opportunities to share what they enjoy and our team build in more opportunities that fit with their interests as a result. We also work closely with local parent/carer support organisations, mental health groups and local charities.

No remuneration was received

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration