Wellbeing Walks for parents and carers are planned to take place in Bristol on 28 June and 7 July.
The free two-hour guided walks are organised by Love Squared which wants to bring love to children and families’ services. “We are on a mission to ensure that no child or young person has to lose out on a world of potential because of mental health,” explained Lottie Enfield, Glow Projects Coordinator. “We believe that you can’t change outcomes without looking at issues holistically and thoughtfully. For us it’s about long-term change.
“We know that supporting a child with additional needs can feel like you’re constantly fighting for support, services and for your voice to be heard which can leave parents feeling stressed and alone. In 2022 we teamed up with Soul Trail Wellbeing CIC to offer a series of guided walks for parents who need some breathing space from the stresses of daily life. This project was launched to help combat the impact of COVID-19 which has taken a huge toll on so many children and families.
“Since the pandemic we’ve seen a real increase in referrals to our services for families impacted by mental health difficulties and children struggling to attend or access school.”
The walks aim to address these inequalities and improve wellbeing through:
- connection with nature
- safe space to talk to others
- relaxation and mindfulness
- self care advice
“These are two hour walks in nature spots in and around Bristol,” added Lottie. “All the walks include a pit stop at a local cafe for refreshments and a chat. Please note that this is an adult only walking group and we can’t accommodate children on the walks. We have a free minivan pick up and drop off service available from Eastville Park. Our next walks are due to take place on:
- Wednesday 28th June, 10.30-1.30pm @ Leigh Woods / Ashton Court
- Friday 7th July, 10.30-1.30pm @ Conham River / Avon River Trail
“We deliver imaginative and holistic long-term support for children and families impacted by mental health,” continued Lottie. “This includes free support for families who might not otherwise be able to access services. Our free Glow service includes mentoring, therapeutic support, emotional support and small groups projects. The service exists to support those children and families falling through the cracks between services.
Sign up via Eventbrite here – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/parent-carer-wellbeing-nature-walks-tickets-643775328337
Any questions please get in touch with Leanne from Soul Trail, email hidden; JavaScript is required. We are so grateful to the Sport England Together Fund programme and Wesport for making this project possible.
Drop The Pressure
If you’re a parent looking for 1.1 support we also run ‘Drop the Pressure’, Love Squared all runs an emotional support telephone service on a Thursday evening. On joining the project you will be matched with one of the team for a weekly check in and safe space to talk about what’s going on for you. If you’re interested in the projects for children and young people, please get in touch with Maddie at email hidden; JavaScript is required or by calling 0117 366 0079 for more details.
You can also find further information on our website at: https://lovesquared.org.uk/