Nature's Cure in Time of Need

Overview

Nature's Cure in Times of Need is a three-year project launched by the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN) in 2022, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The initiative aims to collect and share personal stories from individuals across the North East of England, focusing on how engagement with nature has provided support during challenging times, and highlighting the therapeutic value of nature. Challenging times could be during periods of industrial action, economic recessions, war and conflict. It could also be individual’s experience of loss, sadness or poor health.  

The project aims to collect diverse narratives, engaging with a wide range of individuals, including younger people and those from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds, to gather stories about their interactions with nature.  It will also provide historical contextualisation – exploring how nature has served as a refuge during significant historical events in the North East, such as industrial actions, economic recession, war and personal hardship.

Approach

The project approach is built on community engagement – collaborating with local organisations to deliver activities and encouraging community participation to foster a deeper connection to the natural environment. 

Key activities include:

  • Story collection – individuals are invited to share their experience of how nature has impacted their lives during ‘challenging times’ and these contributions will be preserved in the North East Nature Archive’s “Nature’s Cure in Time of Need: New Voices for North East Nature” collection.
  • Educational outreach – the project includes a variety of events such as talks, courses and community workshops designed to educate and inspire participants about the benefits of engaging in nature.
  • Exhibitions and publications – plans are in place for a touring exhibition and digitisation of NHSN annual reports and journals, making these resources more accessible to the public.

Find out more about Nature's Cure in Times of Need

NHSN website

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