In 2020, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership launched the Thrive Edinburgh strategy to support people with their mental health Thrive Edinburgh. One of the initiatives within the strategy focuses on greenspace and physical activity.

Edinburgh Leisure, Edinburgh and Lothian’s Greenspace Trust, SAMH and Cyrenians are working in partnership in the Thrive Physical and Greenspace Collective to deliver a range of support to enable people to get active outdoors. It will provide a range of meaningful group activities that include walking and jogging groups, and conservation. Funding for their partnership has been granted for at least 5 years, allowing them to develop the support secure in the knowledge that they have long term funding.

Research carried out by the New Economics Foundation found that there are five ways to wellbeing. These are being used by the online iThrive component of the Thrive strategy to suggest ways that people can improve their wellbeing iThrive | Five ways to wellbeing:

• Connect - connecting with the people around us is a great way to remind ourselves that we’re important and valued by others.
  
  
• Be active - regularly engaging in some form of exercise we can look after our mental and physical health at the same time. Take a walk around your local park or greenspace
  
  
• Take notice - Taking notice of things were surrounded by, big or small, is a great way to boost our mood and appreciate our surroundings.
  
  
• Keep learning - Learning new things is a good way to meet new people and boost our self confidence, which in turn improves our mental health and wellbeing.
  
  
• Give - Research has found a link between doing good things and an increase in wellbeing. Could you give something back to your local park or greenspace?

In recognition that many of these involve getting out into greenspace, they have a dedicated webpage exploring how being in nature can your health and wellbeing iThrive | Green spaces. This page includes a number of resources including a full list of Edinburgh parks and information on organisations and projects across Edinburgh.