Peak District Mosaic are all about creating access to the countryside for our diverse communities; So, alongside our monthly walks, we held a weekend residential in February 2024 .
Nature Connect, was held at the historic manor, Youth Hostel Association, Ilam Hall, in Derbyshire. The residential weekend was supported by funding from Outdoor Citizens/YHA to enable us to create a guided, interactive awareness of nature for participants with indoors and outdoors activities.
Approximately, 26 people of different ages, gender and nationalities, packed their winter walking gear, alongside their pyjamas, for a two night stay in Derbyshire in the winter wonder, of the beautiful, scenic, Peak District national park.
Ranger-led Activities
They engaged in a range of light-hearted, fun, yet well-designed, activities with the support of Peak District Communities, Wellbeing Rangers and National Trust Rangers. Activities involved a close look at nature’s trees and rivers and what they represent to us, involving personal, cultural, and mythical stories and the impact on our communities. A sensory based activity allowed participants to explore a range of items, which took them on a mindfulness journey of self-discovery.
Creative Workshops
Creative Facilitator, Susan Downer led the Tree of Life and Forest of Life sessions, which involved drawing, writing and storytelling activities to explore personal stories using a range of metaphors.
Under the Stars
‘A night under the Stars’, was exactly that; the group walked through the night exploring night-time sounds, learning about the stars and the arrangement of simple constellations.
Sharing the Benefits
Sadly, the weekend soon came to an end, but not before the opportunity to collate feedback from participants. Some of the feedback stated that the weekend activities helped; ‘to understand more of the benefits of trees in our lives..’ Another expressed gratitude about the opportunity saying that they; ‘felt surprised how much it made me think about personal feelings, so connecting with nature really helped.’
Other recorded feedback expressed the ample benefits through exposure to the countryside and its rivers and trees. This included impacts on our health and wellbeing and educational welfare. It was considered by all to be a roaring success!
Supporting our Aims
Thank you, to Outdoor Citizens and Youth Hostel Association with funding from Natural England for making this event possible. Not forgetting, the expertise of Peak District and National Trust Rangers and the creative services of facilitator, Susan Downer. All worked together with Peak District Mosaic, to achieve our aim to continue creating access for our diverse communities, to the Peak District countryside.
