Malpas's Cheshire Wildlife Trust has done its part to help raise awareness for mental health after an open day recently.

The Trust held a special opening day in Marbury on Thursday, May 17 to encourage local residents and organisations to reap the benefits the outdoors provides for peoples' mental health.

The event was held as part of Mental Health Awareness Week, which ran from May 14-20, with a key theme of this year’s drive was helping people to acknowledge and learn how to tackle stress.

Two-thirds of people experience a mental health problem in their lifetime, and stress is a key factor in this. Teaching people how to cope with stress can avoid it leading to additional issues such as depression and anxiety.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s volunteering team established a regular Wellbeing Group in 2016, which uses nature volunteering to aid the recovery of those with mild to moderate mental health conditions.

“The volunteer group meets weekly each Thursday, and Mental Health Awareness Week seemed like the perfect time for the group to tell others the benefits they receive from volunteering,” said Katie Greenwood, volunteering and training manager, at Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

“Working outside and knowing that you’re helping local wildlife is a great way to reduce stress. It is also the perfect way to meet new people and develop friendships for that much needed support that can benefit us all in life.”

Katie added that nature-based activities help people who are experiencing mental health problems and contribute to a reduction in their levels of anxiety, stress, and depression.