Week 15 | Mencap Gateway Bronze Award — Prescribe Nature & Finding My Rhythm

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🌿 Prescribe Nature — A New Beginning

This week something exciting started: I enrolled on the Prescribe Nature course, an 8-week outdoor wellbeing programme at the beautiful Newbattle Abbey College woodlands.


The course is designed for adults who would benefit from time in nature — to improve mental health, reduce social isolation, and build confidence through therapeutic outdoor activities. There's also the opportunity to gain a recognised award at the end.

For me, it's about reconnecting with nature, improving my wellbeing, and growing in a calming, supportive, and empowering space.

This week we learned to slow down — to explore, collect, and identify things in nature. We set up tents, tied knots, and put up hammocks. It was a beautiful reminder that life doesn't have to rush. There was real creativity, real joy, and real peace in just being present outdoors.


✅ Evidence Summary for Week 15

1. Volunteering — Walk for Autism
Completed previously. ✔️

2. Fitness — Nature Walk
3. Hobby — The Digital Parish & Daily Office
Continuing daily prayer, though using the Northumbria Office a less. But, still documenting reflections on faith etc here on the blog and at the podcast. 

4. Personal Challenge
Previously submitted. ✔️

5. Lifestyle — Sensory & Advocacy
Managing daily regulation this week using Squiggle Society art supplies, fidgets, and planned sensory snacks.
 
Using the Finch app to keep routines ticking along gently. 🐣
A note on this week
Between the Prescribe Nature course and the daily rhythm, this week has had a real theme: slowing down and being present. Whether that's tying a knot on a hammock in the woods or sitting quietly — both are reminders that wellbeing doesn't have to be loud or fast.

One step at a time. 🌱
A Highland Theological College graduate and non-conformist follower of Jesus living at the crossroads of neurodiversity and faith. Writing on the wild grace of the Gospel.

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