A NATURE reserve in York is at the heart of a £150,000 lottery-funded project to help people recover from mental health problems.

The pioneering ecotherapy scheme is being run at St Nicholas Fields to encourage people to improve their physical and mental wellbeing by engaging with nature and spending time outdoors.

Up to 40 places will be available on the year-long programmes which will see people learning conservation skills, taking part in mindfulness sessions or learning about organic gardening.

A chalet has also been set up for one-to-one mentoring sessions.

Kathy Sturgess, a former deputy chief executive of mental health charity York Mind, is leading the three-year project.

She said: “It’s all about being outside, noticing outside, going out and doing things and seeing a real difference in mood, attitude and expectations.

“Our hope is that participants will re-engage with nature and keep that passion with them for the rest of their lives.”

The scheme will see trained session workers running four different groups with six to eight people in each.

They will meet once a week, for up to a year. Connecting to Nature will include wildlife walks, cycling, meditation and creative writing.

Green Fingers, which supports the early stages of recovery, and focuses on basic gardening skills such as fruit and vegetable cultivation.

Bearing Fruit is more active and allows clients to develop a community orchard and learn conservation skills, like scything and pruning.

Finally, Plot to Plate deals with organic gardening, sustainable living and healthy cooking, and also includes walking to and from an allotment.

Ms Sturgess said: “Demand for the 30-40 available places a year will outstrip supply due to funding cuts and the large number of mental health service users.

“Places will have to be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.”

For more information contact Ms Sturgess via ecotherapy@stnicks.org.uk