CAMHS Goes Wild! Secures £150k to Help Young People Through Nature

A project supporting young people with mental health needs in Cornwall has been awarded £150,000 in national funding.

CAMHS Goes Wild! has received the funding from NHS Charities Together to support its work offering nature based lifestyle medicine for young people aged between 14 and 17.

One of only six projects nationwide

The project is one of six across the UK to share £825,000. The funding is aimed at supporting children and young people with mental health problems and ensuring they are not forgotten while waiting for care.

Each project focuses on fairness and kindness, with support targeted at young people who often feel unheard or overlooked.

Partnership with Newquay Orchard

CAMHS Goes Wild! is co delivered with Newquay Orchard, a community space in the centre of Newquay that provides education, mental health services, community events and other support.

Molly Jenkins, Clinical Associate Psychologist for Mid Cornwall CAMHS, said:

“We’re so pleased to be awarded this funding. It enables us to deliver a nature-based lifestyle medicine programme. It is co-created and co-delivered with Newquay Orchard. We will be consulting with young people from the start to create meaningful outcomes over the next two years.

“We look forward to extending our work with Newquay Orchard. They are a valued partner with deep community roots. It will help us to reach young people who might otherwise fall through service gaps. This includes those experiencing socio-economic disadvantage and those approaching transitions to adult services.

“The 8-week rolling programme will include evidence-based strategies. This is around movement, sleep, nutrition, minimising harmful substances, stress reduction, and healthy relationships. It will also connect young people directly to lasting community assets.

“The collaboration will help young people to better understand how inequalities impact their health. It gives them practical tools and knowledge to improve their wellbeing whilst demonstrating what’s possible when working collaboratively to address health inequalities at a community level.”

Supporting young people through nature

Charlotte Hill, Chief Executive of Newquay Orchard, said:

“We are delighted to be sharing this opportunity with our CAMHS colleagues.

“Supporting young people to experience the benefits of the outdoors and nature to enhance their health and wellbeing can be truly life-changing. Offering skills and confidence that help them stay well throughout life.

“We are extremely grateful to the fund for recognising the potential of this collaboration and the positive impact it can create for young people.”

Tackling health inequalities

Healthcare inequalities can have a major impact on quality of life and place extra pressure on health and care services. Health in childhood often shapes health later in life, making access to quality care for children and young people especially important.

Ellie Orton OBE, Chief Executive at NHS Charities Together, said:

“A child’s health shouldn’t be determined by where they’re born. But sadly, that’s still the reality for too many families in the UK. Through programmes like this one, NHS charities are helping to break down the barriers young people face in accessing care. We can give more children the chance to grow up healthy and ready to thrive.”