"This is the start of something very, very big"

Carwyn Jones AM, former First Minister of Wales. Training Centre opening 2016

 

Sustainable Construction

 

Learning and Well-being

 

Adventures

WELCOME TO DOWN TO EARTH

In a nutshell, we believe relationship-centred and meaningful, outdoor experiences have the potential to change people’s lives… we do this through innovative and inclusive approaches such as creating remarkable buildings with natural materials, sustainable land management and award-winning well-being/education programmes from our hand-built centres on Gower and across South Wales…

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Current projects & experiences

latest news

PLANNING AND PUBLIC HEALTH: OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVING HEALTH AND ADDRESSING INEQUALITIES

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The Great Outdoors: An Outdoor Wellbeing Group for People Living with a Congenital Heart Condition Rebecca Wiliams, Patient Representative, Cardiff…

This is Fit for the Future: People, Nature and Impact

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People nature and impact - Conference and celebration of our Fit for the Future Project Our Health Meadow at University…

The National Lottery Community Fund launch their new National strategy at Down to Earth

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It starts with Community - We were so happy to host the launch on the new National Lottery Community Fund…

BBC News covers our latest clinical research on outdoor health care with the NHS

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BBC news has covered our latest clinical research on outdoor health care with the NHS - you can read the…

The level of connection and camaraderie were unexpected and shaped the experience. I really looked forward to time at The Meadow, and always felt so much better mentally and emotionally when attending. Learning new skills in a beautiful setting was restorative. I had not expected to feel so uplifted but simple physical tasks that reminded me of my ‘previous’ life of relatively good health. The tactile nature of the wood and using tools felt very comforting.

Patient

Being unwell is a lonely experience. Bad health days make you feel less sociable, and withdrawn. The sessions reminded me of the strength/power of time with others especially if you are having a bad day. Being open to making new connections and learning new skills will undoubtedly help my resilience as my health deteriorates.

Patient

We have found Down to Earth to be an invaluable part of our Occupational Therapy intervention in an environment that allows patients to connect with their health and wellbeing goals outside the clinical hospital setting.

NHS service manager

Patients have fed back that Down to Earth has helped them to build skills they didn’t know they were capable of and has supported them to meet new people. Staff have reported the positive impact on their own wellbeing from attending Down to Earth and have found the project has supported building closer therapeutic relationships with patients.

Manager Neuropsychiatry

I have found that attending the Meadow project has helped maintain my mental health through very difficult, stressful periods in work.

Occupational Therapy Team Leader

Patients are seeing the change and progress made by others in the group and feel involved and responsible for that change. They realise that they are contributing to others’ well-being. This leads to them feeling an increase in their value to others. Everyone wants to live a meaningful life, have purpose and feel values. This project helps achieve that.

Consultant Psychologist

Patients have fed back that Down to Earth has helped them to build skills they didn’t know they were capable of and has supported them to meet new people. Staff have reported the positive impact on their own wellbeing from attending Down to Earth and have found the project has supported building closer therapeutic relationships with patients.

Manager - Neuropsychiatry

This project is so holistic, it addresses all of the elements needed for rehabilitation and recovery and so many other areas at the same time: social connection, community engagement, building confidence and self-esteem levels, connection with nature. This project achieves it all.

Manager - Neuropsychiatry

Doing this project with DTE has reignited in us what we trained for, to give the best possible care, treatment and support to our patients, to improve their quality of life after say a stroke. It improves staff well-being bc the project gives us time and space to focus on this. I have never been given the chance or time to this before working for the NHS.

Manager - Neuropsychiatry

Here, we get to do actually do some work that is rehab that doesn't feel like rehab. Being in hospital on the ward makes you feel like you're confined, life has become repetitive. Having this (spinal cord) injury makes you feel dependent, reliant and like I'm not in control of my own life. Coming here, we leave the hospital, and a short roll away is the countryside, fresh air, nature. We do things together outdoors, work as a team, you get out and get to be yourself with your friends. We make something, work together to build things. It doesn't matter what it is, just there is an end product that I had a hand in. This place, this group of people, the staff, makes you feel better.

Patient

When you’re here and you’re doing the work and meeting people, it helps you develop and realise that you had skills you didn’t even know you had. It’s a really good learning environment here. I didn’t mind school and actually liked some of it but you’re not sure why you’re learning what they are teaching you. You never know what you’re working towards. Here, from the first day here, we knew what we were doing and what we were going to build because the staff showed us what we were building and how we were going to do it.”

Young person – Neath Port Talbot Youth Service

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