The Impact of Green Social Prescribing

What is Green Social Prescribing? 

Green social prescribing is the practice of supporting people to engage in nature-based interventions and activities to improve their mental and physical health. These could include local walking schemes, community gardening projects, conservation volunteering, green gyms, open water swimming or arts and cultural activities which take place outdoors. Likewise, blue social prescribing describes engaging in activities in/near/around water.    

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What is the Evidence?

There is a strong and growing evidence that nature based social prescribing plays and important role in improving mental and physical health and reducing loneliness. To read more about the evidence for Social Prescribing, you can read the evidence reports from the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP). 

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Where do I find out what is available in Hertfordshire? 

If someone was looking to access Green Social Prescribing, Social prescribing link workers (and other trusted professionals in allied roles) connect people to community groups and agencies for practical and emotional support, based on a ‘what matters to you’ conversation.   

We’ve put some ideas below for you to get started and see what’s happening across Hertfordshire, click on the website links below to find out more: 

Hertfordshire Health Walks - volunteer-led walks all across Hertfordshire. You can join a leisurely walk or volunteer to be a walk leader.  

Countryside Management Service Volunteering / Hertfordshire County Council – There are lots of different opportunities to get involved with such as Practical Conservation Volunteers, Right Way Surveyors, or Friends of Green Spaces.  

parkrun - A social 5km event held in parks across Hertfordshire on Saturday mornings. You can start walking and gradually build up to jogging the 5km distance. Volunteers are needed every week to cheer on the runners along the route. You don’t have to be a runner to get involved in parkrun. It’s a friendly community where you can get involved as often or as little as suits you. 

Mudlarks - A Hertford-based charity supporting adults and young people with learning disabilities and mental health concerns. Through supported learning and meaningful work in the community, Mudlarks’ projects help people build confidence and develop important skills. 

Earthworks - Support people with learning disabilities, alongside volunteers, to manage 3.5 acres of eco-gardens in St Albans through the practice of social and therapeutic horticulture. By engaging with the wider community, Earthworks champions social inclusion, protection of the environment, and sustainability. 

Sunnyside Rural Trust - A horticultural project in Dacorum for young people and adults with learning disabilities. Training offered to individuals to acquire skills in rural and retail activities e.g., beekeeping, looking after chickens, growing plants and produce, landscaping, and garden maintenance. 

The Red Shed Project - A service for people living with dementia and their carers. Garden-based activities and experiences offered to enhance and improve physical and mental wellbeing and alleviate loneliness and isolation.  

ParksHerts - The project aims to encourage residents to make more of their valuable local space and visit parks they may not have previously explored, whilst also supporting people to make getting outdoors part of their daily lives by finding places to enjoy and share with others.

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What is happening in Hertfordshire? 

Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership (HSP) are connecting locally to the personalised care sector (e.g., Social Prescribing Link Workers, Health & Wellbeing Coaches, Care Coordinators) via our Active Connections programme. We are aiming to better connect the physical activity sector with social prescribing to promote what is already happening and see where there is scope to set up new activities.  

We are also supporting a Green Social Prescribing Seminar taking place in January 2026: 

In partnership with the Public Health Team at Hertfordshire County Council, and the Office of the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, we are holding a Green Social Prescribing seminar at the Weston Auditorium, University of Hertfordshire, on Monday 19th January, from 9.30am - 1pm. Join us for the chance to explore how we can work together across sectors, to help individuals feel better, build connections and build healthier, greener communities.   

The current High Sheriff or Hertfordshire, Nicholas Buxton has adopted Nurture to Nature as the theme for his year in office and the conference is being organised in support of this.   

You can sign up for this FREE event here. 

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How do I get involved in Green Social Prescribing? 

Who can get involved? 

Anyone can be involved in green social prescribing. We are encouraging organisations and community groups to enthuse Hertfordshire residents to join activities in the outdoors to benefit their health and wellbeing.  

Organisations or community groups who provide opportunities for residents to volunteer and/or take part in activities in the outdoors can also promote these opportunities to residents. 

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Resources: 

The NHS Green Social Prescribing Toolkit has been designed to support communities, organisations and health professionals who are looking to set up green social prescribing programmes that connect with local health systems. 

This toolkit can be adapted for a range of activity types including physical activity, arts and heritage.  

The toolkit includes: 

• A case for green social prescribing 

• Templates and guidelines for getting started 

• Evaluation and research 

• Key principles of a green social prescribing programme 

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To find out more about Social Prescribing and the Physical Activity sector, you can visit our webpage here. If you have any questions on this piece of work, please reach out to Zoe McKeating at z.mckeating@herts.ac.uk