Get outdoors for your mental health with RAMH!
The better weather may interested you in getting out the house and into nature and if you need some extra support to do this, RAMH can help! Whether it’s upping your exercise or learning more about gardening, there are a variety of groups you can join to become more active through summer.
Whatever your reasons for participating in the groups, you’ll find friendly and supportive environment that have a focus on healthy activity outside.
It is worthwhile seeking out these natural green spaces, research suggests that taking advantage of green spaces is positive for your mood and life satisfaction. Just five minutes of exercise can help improve mood and self esteem. Green spaces are also good places to practice mindfulness techniques which reduce feelings of stress and increase feelings of self-compassion and empathy. Overall health benefits for becoming more active and reducing isolation can act as a way to help improve your mental health. Using outdoor spaces to meet is also a low cost form of activity and by taking part in outdoor activity wellbeing can improve.
Here are all our outdoor groups across Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire:
Wellbeing Miles
Our new Wellbeing Miles programme includes walks through the week to add structure and activity to your week and the chance to connect with others.
- Monday – Robertson Park, Renfrew (meeting at the pond)
- Monday – Rouken Glen Park, Eastwood
- Tuesday – Fountain Gardens, Paisley (meeting at the fountain)
- Thursday – RAMH Community Garden, Barrhead
Bottle Greenhouse Project
An environmental group creating a greenhouse out of plastic bottles for the new garden space at RAMH headquarters.
- RAMH Headquarters, Thursdays 10.30am-12pm
Football Group
Football group meeting weekly for full contact 7-aside games at the Powerleague football centre in Paisley. This group is for anyone wishing to participate in a fun friendly competitive game of 7-a-side in a peer supportive setting.
- Power League Paisley, Saturdays 10.30-11.30am
Community Gardens
We encourage people to use the garden space at 21 Carlibar Road in their own time if they wish. The garden is equipped with a number of things to help you be mindful and connect with nature. We have mindfulness cards, positivity quotes, bug hotel, heather and rose beds, 4 raised beds and ample seating. Please use the space in the best way to benefit your own mental health and wellbeing.
We have also re-established our garden group at our headquarters in Ferguslie Park, Blackstoun Road. This is a group where service users use the space to be outdoors, engage in physical activity while getting the wellbeing benefits our greenspace can offer. Once this project is finished, we will be opening this greenspace up to all staff and service users to use to improve their wellbeing.
- 21 Carlibar Road, Barrhead
- 41 Blackstoun Road, Paisley
To make a referral to any of these groups, visit www.ramh.org/refer or for enquiries call 0141 847 8900
This article was written by Peer Volunteer, Sarah McKeown