Mental health charity residents visit Living Rainforest in Berkshire

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 31 Oct, 06:17 · Archive

Twenty-six residents supported by mental health charity Response visited The Living Rainforest in Thatcham, near Newbury, for a free visit arranged to mark World Mental Health Day. The visit was intended to demonstrate the restorative effects of nature on wellbeing. Seven support workers also attended.

The residents explored the tropical glasshouse and its more than 60 animal species, including snakes, birds, monkeys and a sloth. The visit was arranged by invitation from the Trust for Sustainable Living.

Anne Clarke, director of adult services at Response, said: 'Everyone we support is different, with their own interests, experiences and things that bring them joy. That is why days like this matter. It gives people the opportunity to try something new, spend time with others and enjoy an experience that they might not otherwise have had.' Karl Hansen, executive director at The Living Rainforest and Trust for Sustainable Living, said: 'Time in nature can be deeply restorative.' He noted that visitors inside the rainforest could 'sit on our benches and simply take in their surroundings – the birdsong, the sound of running water, lush greenery all around and animals such as our sloth moving slowly through the canopy'.

How it is being reported

• Living Rainforest visit highlights benefits of nature for wellbeingResidents supported by mental health charity Response, which works across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.Bracknell News · 31 Oct, 05:00
• Living Rainforest visit highlights benefits of nature for wellbeingResidents supported by mental health charity Response, which works across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.Reading Chronicle · 31 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Response · The Living Rainforest · Trust for Sustainable Living · Thatcham · Anne Clarke · Karl Hansen

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