Paul Heyes
Prince Harry was at the Lancashire Wildlife Trust nature reserve to learn more about the project which is encouraging young people to get into the wild. This is being proven to offer huge health benefits. This European Social Fund and National Lottery funded project is a partnership between the Trust and Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, which is pioneering nature as a holistic therapy.
HRH went into the Viking Wood at Brockholes and met Myplace staff and participants as they took part in dead-hedging, bushcraft and mindfulness. He also chatted to young people involved in cooking bread and marshmallows over a log fire.
Wildlife Trust Chief Executive Officer Anne Selby said: “This visit has put the spotlight on our innovative project with the NHS, Prince Harry is clearly passionate about the subject of mental health and was so natural with the young people.
“Prince Harry showed real compassion to the participants who have struggled with mental health issues. He noticed one of the attendees looked overwhelmed, he circled back to reassure her and listened for a moment.
“He is on a real mission for mental health issues to be de-stigimatised, the biggest prize is for this sort of approach to be normalised and part of the system nationally. That’s the challenge. It was really great that senior delegates from the project’s funders, Our Bright Future, Big Lottery Fund and The European Social Fund, were there. It was really good for them to see the practical side of Myplace.”
