Wildside recognises how people’s lives have been lit up and enriched by getting outdoors and enjoying the activities we can offer. The Wellness to Wildness project which is funded through National Lottery Reaching Communities, set out to establish a longer-term programme to ensure that these benefits will extend to as many areas of the local community as possible. This includes further work with local children and families, with health related agencies and with businesses that want to improve the wellbeing of their employees. Elements of the project also focus on improving local green spaces, while improving health through increased exercise and activity in the company of others. 

    

  Wellness to Wildness aims and objectives

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• Continue our excellent track record in providing activities, outreach and boat trips for people with disabilities, mental health issues and long-term health problems.

• Increase activities related to health and wellbeing for local children and families.

• Increase take up from local businesses for personnel health and wellbeing, for environmental activities, outdoor pursuits, the narrowboat, and volunteering.

• Develop our links with other health related providers and commissioners in order to reach new user groups.

• Develop our partnerships with organisations such as the Canal and River Trust, the City Council’s Smestow Valley Nature Reserve, Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust and Wightwick and Regis Environmental Network in order to increase use of the canal corridor for health related activities and volunteering.

 

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