Overview

This pilot project sought to use qualitative methods (focus groups, interviews) to investigate the use of green/blue space activities for mental health improvement. Previous, primarily quantitative/clinical research emphasises potential benefits of these activities while also highlighting difficulty in determining “why” and/or “how”. This project aimed to explore green/blue space activity group members’ perceptions of the impact of participation in these activities on their mental health, and the policy priorities of stakeholders regarding green/blue space use for mental health – including policymakers and service users.

The project formed the first stage in a planned direction of work around intersections of legislative policy, green/blue space, access, conservation, and mental health/suicide. It aligned with the scheme’s goals of supporting ECRs in mental health research, (myself and Emily Yue, project RA, who took on leadership of the focus group sessions), to develop research agendas and conduct small projects to prime larger grant applications/further career development.

Key Findings

We are still in the process of finishing data collection and analysis. We analysed a subset of the data - focus groups with wild swimmers - for a paper submitted to Hypatia journal. From this analysis, we’ve found that a unique amalgamation of flexible levels of group involvement, natural settings, and swimming in challenging circumstances (cold water, weather/seasonality, accessibility) contribute to the benefits seen by members. We’ve suggested that because of this these groups can be theorised as ‘ecologies of care’.

Outputs

• Paper published in Hypatia: “We’re Here, We’ve Got Changed, We’re Going Out”: Wild Swimming Groups as Ecologies of Care

• Collaboration with wider group of scholars working on land/nature/mental health – submission of two (unsuccessful) project funding proposals to date

• Developing ideas for fieldwork in new role as Senior Research Fellow on Discovering Liveability (HiSS)

• Application made for a community-facing event during UoE Impact Festival

Future Directions

We have a number of outputs planned, including further analysis/papers; future applications; reports for community groups/policymakers; KEI events. I am leading on two work packages for Discovering Liveability; findings from this pilot project will inform some of the development of fieldwork for these work packages. I will continue to collaborate with wider groups of scholars working in this field. To date, I have been part of funding 2 (unsuccessful) submissions with other researchers, as a direct result of the Sea to Spruce project. I have also been contacted by a number of individuals from organisations across the UK that are interested in the project and future collaboration. I plan to continue to develop these networks and additional ‘next steps’ after we complete data collection and analysis for Sea to Spruce.