Over the last 8 years, our outdoor health and wellbeing initiatives have reached over 200 people and made a big difference to their lives. 

Branching Out, Moving On, and everything in between, have been continuously funded since 2015 by 11 different funders on 14 discrete projects.

While we take a slight pause, we continue to seek funding opportunities and evaluate how we deliver these initiatives. 

In the meantime, we’re celebrating the achievements so far:

• We worked with 16 direct delivery partners in 10 different locations.
• Trained 30 new Branching Out leaders, and facilitated other accredited qualifications, such as Outdoor First Aid and Scottish Mental Health First Aid. 
• We ran 50 programmes of outdoor activity across Argyll and Bute (28 Branching Out and 22 Moving On).
• That’s 541 discrete sessions.
• With 363 individuals referred.
• And over 200 people completed the programmes.
• Achieving an average recognised Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale score increase of 8.23 points each.
• We also engaged with 81 participants during the Covid-19 lockdown by adapting the project to bring nature connection to them in their homes via 390 mailed-out activity packs.

 

Thank you to our Branching Out team

Our incredible Branching Out leaders deserve a big thank you from all here at ACT and from our participants.

Feedback highlights

From a participant 

I get to meet the people that make me feel so much better

"Do you know that feeling when you go to bed and you are desperate to fall asleep just so that you can start your day? That is what Branching Out is like for me. I get on the bus and when I get there all my problems are left on there and all I focus on is my day. I get to meet the people that make me feel so much better. 

"You start off the groups not knowing anyone and by the end, you make a special bond with the people who were strangers.”

From a participant's family member

Without Branching Out my brother would be totally isolated

“Without Branching Out my brother would be totally isolated and have no outlet at all for social or mental wellbeing as this is the only project that he has available to attend. [He] quickly reverts back to his poor habits and low mood when Branching Out is finished.

From Bute Forest Ranger, a delivery partner

The leaders are great with the group and have a great balance of humour and compassion

"Branching out and Moving On have been amazing projects to be a part of and have helped another group of individuals benefit from the forest. I've enjoyed being able to help out with the sessions and be a part of the activities. It's great chatting to the group and you can tell that they really enjoy and appreciate the opportunity for the experience.

"The leaders are great with the group and have a great balance of humour and compassion which sets a good tone for the sessions that the group responds really well to. When possible I try to attend the sessions to help out as needed however the project is run so well that there isn't much input from us that is required"

Branching Out and Moving On 

Our Branching Out and Moving On are innovative programmes of woodland-based activities for people with poor mental health.

Read more about Branching Out