VCSE Health and Wellbeing - Nature on the Door Step

This event is open to all VCSE organisations operating in Newcastle and Gateshead that are interested in learning more about the benefits of nature for health and wellbeing.   

Speakers at this event will include:

Jo Burke, Nature and Wellbeing Officer, Northumberland Wildlife Trust

Discussing the benefits of Nature for Health and Wellbeing.

Northumberland Wildlife Trust is a leading regional environmental charity using innovative nature-based solutions to tackle health inequalities across Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside.

They protect and restore wild places while pioneering new ways to connect communities—especially those experiencing disadvantage—with the wellbeing benefits of nature. From social prescribing partnerships to co-designed peer-support models, we are at the forefront of integrating the natural environment into local health systems.

Their programmes combine conservation expertise with creative, community-led approaches that promote physical and mental health, reduce isolation and build resilience. We believe access to nature is a right—and a powerful, underused tool for advancing health equity.

https://www.nwt.org.uk/what-we-do/projects/nature-and-wellbeing

Dr. Ben Jones, Director, Dingy Butterflies CIC

Dingy Butterflies CIC is a community focused arts organisation that provides opportunities for communities, primarily in Bensham & Saltwell, Gateshead, to work with and co-create projects with artists, experts and academics. Discussing nature based projects:

• Weaving for Wellbeing is a fourteen month project supporting wellbeing and nature-connectedness through creative practice, for women who attend the Comfrey Project. Working with artists Savannah Rios-Wills and Saya Rose Naruse, the women will embark on creative activities, skills sharing, storytelling, nature walks and gardening.
• Bensham Bites brings together various food growing projects, existing and new, into one network, to engage communities in creative ways of sourcing food through: Growing; food rescue; waste reduction; processing and preserving as a community activity; branding and finally, re-distributing for health and wellbeing. 
• ‘Bees of Bensham’connects Bensham residence with their local habitat. Working across Bensham & Saltwell through creative activities and events, it looks to understand what bees and pollinators live in our community; how we can support them; and the benefit there is to helping increase the bee population. 

https://www.dingybutterflies.org/

Shieldfield Art Works (SAW) is a project of the Methodist Church in Newcastle upon Tyne which is seeking the good of the city through creative practice. We are a team of artists who support others to be creative, and use our creativity to support others. We believe that the arts help us to articulate what it is to be human and that arts participation enables joy and flourishing in unique and unexpected ways

• Shieldfield Grows promotes sustainable practices of food growing in Shieldfield. Through regular growing sessions, workshops, group trips and meals we build knowledge and skills to grow produce which can be shared with our communities. We are mainly based in the SAW garden but we also support people to grow in their own spaces. Building skills and knowledge to grow our own produce is a huge part of community autonomy and resilience especially in times of economic downturn and hardship. We want to be part of this movement which empowers our communities to have good quality, nutritious food for our bodies, minds and souls.

https://www.saw-newcastle.org/shieldfield-grows/

Leo Hargreaves, Next Door Nature Officer, Northumberland Wildlife Trust

Update and news from regional community projects and groups.

Nextdoor Nature is supporting communities to take action for nature across Newcastle and Northumberland, from the West End to Wallsend, Byker to Blyth and beyond! We work alongside the wider Northumberland Wildlife Trust to listen, share knowledge, and support local groups in making a real difference for both people and wildlife.

The Next door Nature project is all about providing our communities with the advice and support they need to help nature thrive right on their doorstep. Whether it’s skill-sharing, workshops, connecting groups together, or simply offering guidance, we want to empower people to take action in ways that matter most to them. Above all, we hope to leave a lasting legacy - one that strengthens communities through nature and inspires projects that will continue to flourish for years to come. 

https://www.nwt.org.uk/what-we-do/projects/nextdoor-nature

Harley Kyuck-Cohen, Gateshead Volunteer Development Coordinator, Connected Voice

Discussing how Connected Voice have achieved the Investors in People Environmental Green Award 2026 and why investing in a sustainable work place can provide health and wellbeing to staff.

The event will take place at: 

ReCoCo
1, Carliol Square
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 6UF
 

Connected Voice is committed to reducing our environmental impact and want to champion environmental sustainability to all organisations in the VCSE sector.  To reduce the carbon footprint of our events, we would like to politely request that all attendees make the best effort, where viable, to travel to our events in the most environmentally friendly way possible.

By Bus:

The bus stops on Market St, Blackett St and John Dobson St are less than a 5 minute walk.

Bus services include 1, 10, 12, 22, 38, 39, 49, 58, 62, 63 & 100.

By Metro:

Monument or Manors are approximately a 5 minute walk away.

By Bike:

There is public bike parking at Newcastle City Library.

You can only book one place for yourself. If a colleague wants to attend, they will need to book separately themselves. When you book, please ensure that you give us all the essential information requested so that we know your registration is genuine.

Our training and events are funded from a variety of sources, allowing us to offer them for free to eligible organisations. Please check the eligibility requirements for each session before signing up, as this varies from course to course.

You can keep up to date with the latest training and events from Connected Voice by subscribing to our fortnightly email bulletin.

Attendance and value Our staff dedicate significant time and resources to create and deliver an excellent range of training and events free of charge. We ask that you make an effort to prioritise attending once you have registered, and let us know as soon as possible if there is a barrier to you attending. 

Accessibility Please let us know in advance if you have any accessibility requirements that would help you get the most out of this session. We will do everything we can to accommodate them.