Soaking up the health benefits of the Westmeath woodlands

By Sarah Slevin and Finola Colgan

For the last eight weeks, Mullingar locals have been benefitting from the Mental Health Ireland and Coillte initiative, Woodlands for Health (WFH). The aim was to engage and support people dealing with mental health challenges though encouraging participants to enjoy a nature-based activity.

Each week, a group of people made up of occupational therapists and clients met together in a Westmeath woodland area to walk, talk, and learn about their surroundings from a member of staff from Coillte Forestry Services.

The project was co-ordinated by Mary Kate Duignan of Westmeath Sports Partnership, who supervised the locations for all the walks.

One Mullingar participant, Michelle, has said it has been a great experience, especially as it provides a safe space and anonymity.

“With the woodlands walking, you can talk if you want but if you don’t, nobody minds. On those walks, it’s like we are all on the one page, the clients, the therapists, and nobody knows who is who,” Michelle said.

“It winds you down, the fresh air, the open space and you just forget about your problems.”

This sentiment was echoed by other participants, who said the open space was especially beneficial after being through lockdowns this year and last year.

“It was good for my mental health and to get out in the fresh air. The way things have been over the last two years, it was good to get back and get out and about again,” Brian said.

Participants also reflected on the educational side of it, as well as how it helped them with their mental health.

“I didn’t realise there was so many places to go, different forests and they’re lovely to walk through. We had someone there from Coillte and she explained all of the trees and everything in the forest,” Brian said.

Janet agreed: “The woodlands were fabulous. It was lovely to learn new things about the plants and national trees and there was always something new on the walks that we could learn.

“After each walk, I felt invigorated, and it’s like you’re breathing pure oxygen. You just felt alive at the end of your walk,” Janet said.

Woodlands for Health was initiated by Charlie Burke, recreation administrator at Coillte, in partnership with Mental Health Ireland, the Wicklow Partnership Company and Get Ireland Walking in 2012.

Development officer with Mental Health Ireland, Finola Colgan, stated that it has now been introduced into a number of counties nationwide and said that the midlands has been fortunate to have three WFH Centres – Westmeath, Laois and Longford.

“The strengths and success of the initiative are the excellent partnership between the agencies and in particular the support from members of the occupational therapy team in the mental health services. The HSE – Health Promotion is a key partnership funder of the initiative,” Ms Colgan added.

Mental Health Ireland undertook an evaluation report with Tadhg MacIntyre from Maynooth University.

The report found that there was on average a 31 percent improvement in participant wellbeing along with an improved awareness and greater connection to nature and their local woodland.

More information on Woodlands for Health can be downloaded from www.mentalehalthireland.ie.

On behalf of Mullingar Mental Health Association, Julia Smyth said they were delighted to be able to support the initiative and welcomed the support from gardaí through their community bus service.

Mental Health Ireland was established in 1966 and places emphasis on promoting positive mental health and to support people with lived experience of mental health challenges in their recovery.

Further information can be found by getting in touch with Finola at finola@mentalhealthireland.ie.