We're calling on you to take a walk for a mental health break, explore the urban green spaces and trees near you, and #ShareTheCalm on socials to encourage others to discover their local nature too.
Share the calm
Post your local green space adventures on social media using the hashtag #ShareTheCalm to encourage others to get out in nature for their mental health, and be in with a chance to win a Trees for Cities 30th Anniversary eco-bottle! Don't forget to tag @TreesForCities so we can share it too 💚
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Getting out in urban nature
Being out in nature has been shown to help reduce anxiety and depression, even if it's just a twenty minute walk. You don't need to hike out to the middle of a forest to feel the benefits either, our brains get a little boost even just looking at city trees and flowers!
In line with this year's Mental Health Week theme 'Moving more for mental health', we encourage you to open up your map, head out to your nearest urban green space, and take photos of what you find.
Space to pause
Photographing nature is a great way to connect to the natural world around you. It allows you to slow down and gives your mind a chance to focus on the here and now. Get up close to some flowers or capture sunlight streaming through a city tree's leaves - let yourself be curious!
No matter how small the space - nature finds a way to blossom and grow, and provide us with a peaceful moment to access whenever we need it.
After a 60 minutes walk in nature, the amygdala (the part of the brain that deals with stress and creates fear) actually reduces in size.
Green Spaces, Just What The Doctor Ordered - Dr William Bird MBE
Nature and our mental health
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How Edible Playgrounds Can Cultivate Mental Wellbeing
Cardiff, WalesThe UK is experiencing a mental health crisis, but our Edible Playgrounds programme shows that making playgrounds greener can help children's mental wellbeing.
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The Importance of Urban Green Spaces on Our Mental Health
9 October 2023
On World Mental Health Day, we celebrate urban trees, parks and green spaces and the ways they have helped us to cope with mental health issues.
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Unplugged And Outside: Boosting Family Mental Health The Natural Way
2 February 2024
Volunteer writer, Gabrielle Donnelly, shares her experience of being a parent and discovering the healing and calming effect nature has on her family.
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The importance of urban parks and green spaces
28 July 2023
Having urban parks and green spaces available for everyone to access is incredibly important for our physical and mental health and well-being.
Celebrate With Us
It's an exciting year at Trees for Cities as we celebrate 30 years of planting trees in towns and cities - with big plans on the horizon!
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