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Spending time in forests and woodlands can have a significant positive impact on physical and mental health and wellbeing, a report commissioned by The Mersey Forest and compiled by Forestry Commission's Forest Research division, has found. It explores the health benefits associated with different forms of mindfulness in the forest, from the Japanese concept of forest-bathing to forest walking. You can access the full report on the Mersey Forest website.

At the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, we are pleased to announce that we will be facilitating the setting up of a green health route in Marston, Oxford. As we spend our days highlighting all the fabulous projects on the NHS Forest sites, facilitating knowledge exchange through the website and the NHS Forest conference (book now for October!), it's great to be running a hands-on project ourselves.

Bluebell Woodland is a hospital-owned woodland which joined the NHS Forest in 2014 after planting 900 trees and starting a green gym on site. It features a five hectare woodland currently being improved by volunteers.  The site is sandwiched between Aintree University NHS Trust Hospital and Altcourse Prison and forms part of the Communities Fazakerley Woods and Fields Nature Reserve. It is a vital part of the Liverpool green spaces mosaic and forms a link with other open spaces.

Lancashire Care joined the NHS Forest in 2013 starting up a Grow Your Own project and restoring an orchard at their Guild Park site. Since then the project has continued to go from strength to strength with projects throughout the year to engage staff, patients and the local community in planting and growning fruit and vegetables.