Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, has a new way for residents to boost their mental health through outdoor activities after the Kent High Weald Partnership (KHWP) launched its Nature Health Program on February 1, 2026. KHWP is running a nature-based wellbeing programme that includes guided walks, forest-bathing sessions and conservation volunteering to help people stay active and reduce stress.
The scheme comes following the closure of the local Mental Health Resource: the charity announced in December 2025 that it would close at the end of January 2026, leaving a gap in some community support. By using nearby woods and lakes, the project aims to turn local green spaces into tools for recovery and wellbeing.
Residents can self-refer or be referred by GPs and other health professionals through the Imago Social Prescribing Service; the programme is also being coordinated with the West Kent Health and Care Partnership as part of local green social prescribing routes.
Sessions will take place at sites across Royal Tunbridge Wells, including Hilbert Woods and Sherwood Lake, and the programme is supported by funding from the High Weald Nature and Community Fund alongside local council grants. “This funding enables us to take nature recovery out of the woods and into people’s lives. We aren’t just planting trees; we are growing a support network for people who have felt isolated over the last year,” KHWP Partnership Manager Cally Fiddimore said in earlier council materials.
Activities range from quiet nature exploration to more active conservation work, such as tree planting and path clearance. The sessions are offered as green social prescribing—low‑intensity, nature-based support designed to complement traditional therapy and community services, rather than to replace clinical treatment.
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