Woodland Activities with

Mentro Allan/Venture Out

Imogen Pettitt

I don’t see many people in the woods with clipboards and those I do see I imagine to be surveying a rare sticky fungi or carnivorous lichen. I have become one of those clipboard bearers! I’m studying people and, specifically, what gets people into outside and active. It’s part of a national pilot project (called Mentro Allan/Venture Out), we put on events then ask the participants what else they’d like to do, we’re building up a picture of what gets people out and active in the countryside.

It’s all about the health benefits of being active in the countryside but not necessarily through sport. Woods can be a great place start. People are drawn to the woods for very different reason, some enjoy learning about nature, doing something creative, socializing or learning new skills. Please let us know what got you outside and maybe we’ll be able to put on a similar event!

Activites can be general, like the walks for Welsh learners to practice their language skills, where anyone can come. Some are more specific, and only members of a certain group might be invited, for example the local self-help mental health group. With the Mental Health group we are running woodland health sessions, it’s a bit like forest school for adults. The group gathers at a fire circle with a roundhouse shelter and get involved in a whole variety of activities from crafts like felting, walking, tree seed planting, cooking and building new structures like a roundhouse or even a toilet!

We’re also working with the local youth team, we’ve done lots of activities including gardening and mountain biking and we’ve just started a really exciting survival skills programme with the aim of getting them out into the woods for whole days at a time!

We recognise that some groups of people may find it harder to get out of the house and we’re targeting some activities especially for them. One group we’re trying extra hard to reach is parents of young children. We’ve been putting on activities for them both with and without their children, Kayaking for example (not with the tots!) and beach trips with food and involving them in creating land art inspired by artists like Andy Goldsworthy.

We feel really pleased to be able to ask people what they’d like to do, and then provide it for them. If you live in the Machynlleth area we’d like to hear from you too! Do get in touch, call us on 01654 703965 or look at our website: www.ecodyfi.org.uk

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Photo by Zena Wilmot