Dear Friends,

I am writing this in sunshine and blue skies after our freezing cold spell in the UK recently. British weather is a great reflection on life in general – how quickly things can change and how we need to be ready for all eventualities. This analogy sums up our year here at the Foundation, as well as the impact of the turbulence of the last years that we have all experienced both nationally and globally.

In our outdoor therapy programmes we promote resilience in the face of uncertainty and how to flex and draw on the metaphor of grasses bending in the wind, but staying rooted.

This year we have indeed stayed rooted and also flexed with the economic crisis impacts on livelihoods, the Ukraine war and energy loss, global insecurity, threats of nuclear war, and an overwhelming mental health crisis (with five new referrals coming in daily on top of existing services) alongside the critical threats to nature through human pressure on the planet seen out in biodiversity loss and climate change impacts.

The Foundation is dedicated to positive change for nature and people and all the above has certainly given us a lot to work with of late – making sure that we are in the right place to make a difference where we can.

In May – in amongst this all – we had a garden at Chelsea with the inspirational garden designer Charlie Hawkes funded by Project Giving Back… and sorry to say it again …but the garden won a gold medal and best in show category. This was incredible as first timers and as a new partnership. We talked to about 25,000 people over the week and having the support around the garden could not have happened without the support of Team Lewis who gave us pro bono PR, nor Riverstone who funded our brochures and events and the garden relocation at Henry Maynard School in Walthamstow. Following hot on the heals from Chelsea we went on to be one of the chosen charities to benefit from the ITV Masked Dancer programme. These were both wonderful opportunities to talk about our work and share what we are doing for nature and people.

As you will see through programme reviews in our newsletter, we have achieved a huge amount during 2022 and I want to take this opportunity to thank you – our friends – for your ongoing support for us. Our Big Give Christmas campaign and our Aviva Crowd funding brought in over £35000 of donations from our friends and the public. Those of you who live locally have attended our open days, craft days and others have volunteered in groups, on the allotments and on site. Others have fundraised through paddleboarding the oceans, run races and walked long distances such as Hadrian’s Wall and the six peaks of North Wales. These are just a few examples and without this level of support and belief in what The Foundation does to spur you on – we just simply could not do all we do.

We have had incredible support from our grant makers who listen to us and support us not just with funding but also with solid advice and many of you and your teams who are there as sounding boards to help us through uncertain times or give critical friend feedback to enable us to improve and do even better in our outreach for support.

Across Scotland and England we work with over 240 schools and services supporting young people. The partnerships and joint effort to do our best for the most vulnerable in our communities and nature is always one of the best parts of the job for me – all pulling together, often at the hardest times. The outreach we have with services included the first outdoor suicide prevention programme, and we are grateful to our Next Chapter colleagues who we partner with to deliver our domestic abuse adult women’s group alongside others who support our teens and children’s domestic abuse outdoor therapy support. In Scotland our landowners such at Atholl Estates, Crowne Estates Scotland and the Douglas and Angus Estate remain vital to our delivery of support to young people across Scotland experiencing mental health issues. This is done on a grace and favour basis and they always push the boat out to help us in every way possible. Sharing the land for good, lies at the heart of these relationships.

We have a staff team who are exceptional people – always willing to do more, find ways around problems and put the earth and our clients at the forefront of everything to be sure we offer the best to both.

They are seen in a myriad of roles but includes tasks from cleaning up litter, to sitting patiently and listening and believing, teaching and empowering young people on climate action and then being able to play a mean game of manhunt in the woods.

Gratitude is one of the most important values to hold and it helps us to heal ourselves and view the world around us with a positive mindset. I appreciate this newsletter is filled with a deep sense of gratitude – and that certainly lifts my spirits and energy during this busy and crazy time in the world as I write this message.

We look forward to staying in touch with you and welcoming you for a visit if you are passing by, as well as inviting you to be more involved if you can in fundraising, donating, becoming a friend or mentoring or any other jobs or roles that you could do.

We have this one life available to us and best to leave sunshine where we can whilst learning to live with the shadows.

Happy Christmas and wishing you all the best for 2023

Jo and the Wilderness Team