When someone experiences a cardiac event, it’s not just the obvious physical symptoms that can make healing difficult. A cardiac event can also have a massive impact on psychological and emotional well-being. The effects can include low mood, PTSD, feelings of isolation, and anxiety about further cardiac events. This, in turn, can affect people’s wider relationships with family and friends, as well as their confidence in learning to live with and manage the condition.

Woodland Wellbeing was initially set up as a six-week pilot project (Feb – March 2025) to support people who had experienced a cardiac event (e.g. heart failure or a heart attack). Whilst existing rehab teams address the physical impact, there are far fewer opportunities for people to find support for their emotional well-being or to meet others who may have similar feelings and concerns, away from the hospital environment.

The project is a partnership between Cardiac Rehabilitation teams at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW), North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT), and the Forest of Avon.

Thanks to funding of £15,000 from The Health Lottery Foundation, the project has continued this financial year.

Group members take part in activities that help them rebuild trust in their bodies and gain confidence through gentle movement and exercise. We invite people to join short walks and try woodland crafts such as twig pencil-making, where their focus is on something other than their breathing or heart rate. We make healthy snacks (sometimes on the fire) and share ideas and techniques to help people deal with anxiety.

“Being in the woods felt like a quiet refuge, away from the normal pressures of life. Lots of natural things to notice.” – Attendee

The woodland environment helps people relax and enables participants to talk and share concerns in a natural way. Group members support each other, which reduces feelings of isolation and loneliness.

“I am afraid to go among people, but when we sat around the campfire… we became a team.” – Attendee

As well as offering opportunities for people to share experiences with each other, Counselling Psychologist Georgina Huntington (part of the Clinical Psychology Service at Southmead Hospital) also attends alongside Forest of Avon facilitators Rachel and Helen.

“The original plan was for a hospital-based psychology group. We decided to move the group away from the hospital and out into nature – creating a space which normalises people’s experiences after a cardiac event, nurtures wellbeing, and helps them to regain confidence in their bodies once again through gentle mindful nature-based activities. There was initially a lot of anxiety about providing an NHS service away from the hospital, but this has proven to be one of the most important aspects for participants.

It has been incredible to see friendships and confidence levels grow and be part of the participants’ recovery. I am very grateful to be working collaboratively with the Forest of Avon and for the funding from the Health Lottery Foundation which has meant we can continue to provide the group after the initial pilot and offer it to more people as part of their cardiac rehabilitation support.” – Georgina Huntington, Counselling Psychologist at North Bristol NHS Trust

Project participants said they appreciated being away from the clinical environment:

“It was completely different (and better) than being in a hospital setting. Being in a different environment was very therapeutic. And being outdoors with a group was very different.” – Attendee

Significantly, many people told us how the group had reignited their love of nature, and how important that had been in their healing journey.

“Being in the woods gave me incredible headspace. It made me feel relaxed, and the activities helped me to focus on other things rather than my heart event.” – Attendee

A brilliant long-term outcome from the pilot project has been that members of the initial group set up a monthly meet-up at Kings Weston House café, so they can continue to support each other and build on relationships developed during woodland sessions in the neighbouring park.

Funding from the Health Lottery Foundation has enabled us to offer woodland-based sessions to more people across a wider area. We have groups running in South Gloucestershire, north Bristol, and Weston-super-Mare over the coming year.

“The cardiac project has been an amazing group project to work on. It has been wonderful to see people’s confidence grow over the weeks, and hear how their connection with nature and other people has been instrumental in their healing journey. The funding from the Health Lottery Foundation is fantastic, as it has enabled us to plan for a year’s worth of groups and reach more people.” – Helen Gray, Nature and Health Practitioner at the Forest of Avon

“It’s been brilliant to work in partnership with the NHS Clinical Psychology Service. We can offer so much more by drawing on our combined skills and knowledge, both from a clinical health perspective and as nature and health practitioners with an understanding of how nature-connection can support recovery.

With each group we also learn so much from participants, who obviously have a deep personal insight into what is helpful. I am always moved by the impact of the woodland environment, how quickly people tune into what is around them, and the curiosity that develops.” – Rachel Tomlinson, Nature and Health Practitioner at the Forest of Avon