Fun with the Stepping into Nature Team

We were blessed to have visits from Stepping Into Nature at both our Shaftesbury and Wimborne St Giles Jolly Days recently.

Stepping into Nature aims to help people be happier and healthier by connecting with nature. The project uses Dorset’s natural and cultural landscape to provide activities and sensory-rich places for older adults, including those living with long term health conditions, such as dementia, and their care partners. Their nature-themed activities – both indoors and out – help people find new places to go, learn new skills and meet like-minded people.

These visits were part of their Your Season of Stories project which will gather seasonal memories, traditions and stories from people living in Dorset, living with a long term health condition or are in a caring role to co-design a ‘creative resource’ which will help spark a connection to nature and others for improved wellbeing. The seasonal material will be gathered through interactive sessions using professional poets, storytellers and artists. Once the resources are created they will be widely shared, along with short inspirational films about how to create your own seasonal material, to encourage and inspire individuals, pairs or groups to create their own seasonal stories.

In Shaftesbury, Sarah Jane Ross showed us how to make our own greetings cards with beautiful autumnal leaves. We also explored some great poetry too.

Ilse Black, a local artist, joined us at our Jolly Day in Wimborne St Giles and we had such a wonderful time making striking animal masks. We also enjoyed lovely music and storytelling from Martin Maudsley.

We believe being creative is possible for everyone, it plays an important role in the improvement of people’s mental health and leads to increased wellbeing. The activities In Jolly Good Company offer help us to look beyond lost skills and focus on the positivity of what we are able to do now. This gives a great sense of satisfaction and achievement.

We want to help people make the most of their lives, feel important, needed and an integral part of a group.

Do get in touch if you’d like to join us.

Autumn mask making

Brian and Carol immortalise their dog Stan

Hannah decided to make a giant mouse

Anne's owl

A BIT ABOUT ILSE

Ilse’s work reflects her passion for the sea. She regularly swims, body surfs and freedives in the sea, particularly around Dorset and the Isle of Purbeck. She does this through all seasons and is a great advocate of British waters. Through her work, she aims to celebrate her love of the sea by creating ceramics, drawings and digital collages which reflect her experiences.

You can find out more about Stepping into Nature and their Your Seasons of Stories Project here