Connecting in a changed world

Back in March 2020, as I was dashing around the supermarket, stocking up on essentials, before what felt like it would be months of social isolation ahead, I was aware of a heightened sense of anxiety, as if an unseen enemy was waiting to pounce. Looking back now, I realise that the anxiety which had been a part of my life for many years, before I was lucky enough to work in nature, was suddenly present again in the early weeks of the pandemic. This brought to my attention something that I hadn’t really noticed before. I knew that working in nature was good for my wellbeing, but I hadn’t really appreciated how much of a benefit it was. When I’m in the woods I feel at home. I feel safe in my own skin. I’m in the present moment with all of my senses tuned in to my environment.

As March gave way to April and meetings with friends and colleagues became strange, desperate video conferences, I felt my anxiety levels rise, not least because I was hooked by the daily corona virus briefings, but mostly because human connection was limited to conversations with neighbours shouted from one side of the street to the other. I found myself timing my daily walks to give me the best chance of meeting other people - drawing out conversations with folk who live in my village, (with whom I’d never had more than a passing greeting, prior to COVID-19) for as long as we could, until we ran out of things to say.

Then, oh joy, we were told we were allowed to work on our allotments. Never was the Nature Unlimited allotment tended so well, by a couple of us who lived nearby, as it was in the Spring of 2020, crops planted in the hope of a return to normality when the harvest would once again be cooked on the fire in the woods and shared by our tribe of volunteers. But the connections that our team had enjoyed, strengthened by working together for a common purpose, were hard to maintain, via zoom, email, phone and social media, try as we did.

In July 2020, as it became clearer that the virus transmitted much less effectively in the outdoors, we were able to bring a group of volunteers together to carry out woodland management in a small wild space in Galashiels. That was a real turning point for our organisation. While the intention had been to reconnect with the existing team, we had an influx of new volunteers, desperate for some human connection. I recently got an email from one of the new volunteers:

“This is a long overdue thank you note for letting me participate in your wonderful organisation. I got so much out of our groups, mindfulness and first aid training. Being involved in Nature Unlimited was my unofficial support group (way more effective than my actual councillor). I just wanted you to know that this has given me the strength to pursue my own dream of starting a business, running healthy eating workshops. Please get in touch whenever there is a need for a first aid trained volunteer, as not only am I indebted to you but I get so much from the experience. Hope it isn't too long till I see you beautiful people!”

As a result of the obvious benefits of people coming together in nature to carry out purposeful activity, to connect with and to support each other, we have established a group with the intention of doing just that. Currently, a group of us meet once a week in a local woodland and Volunteer for Wellbeing. We carry out practical tasks, we learn green woodworking skills, we grow our own food and cook a healthy lunch on the fire and sometimes we just go for a walk. There's always firewood to be chopped and plenty of time for a cuppa and a chat.

I believe we just need more positive than negative in our lives to keep our wellbeing nicely balanced and the small things can make a real difference. A few hours in the woods with like-minded folk, keeps the balance on the positive side for the team at Nature Unlimited. I very much hope that this is a lesson we can all take from the pandemic. Human and nature connection is so much more important for our wellbeing than the accumulation of stuff, holidays abroad or any of the other distractions we all use in the mistaken belief that it’ll bring us happiness. If we emerge from this pandemic with more respect for ourselves, for each other and for the environment, the world will be a much better place.