Green and blue space
Can we harness green and blue space to improve the physical health and well being of people with SMI?
Theme leads: Professor Piran White and Dr Peter Coventry, University of York.
This theme is all about the effects of nature and ecosystems on immediate and long-term health and well-being – whether this is green spaces, such as woods, meadows and parks, or blue space such as rivers, lakes and sea. These spaces offer lots of opportunities for physical activity and wellbeing, but these benefits are frequently not realised by people with SMI.
We are keen to work with other researchers, green care providers, nature conservation organisations and policy-makers, exploring new opportunities provided by 'big data' across the health and natural sciences and novel creative approaches including the use of digital technologies, to determine how green and blue spaces can be made more accessible to people with SMI and also how they could be used as part of interventions to enhance mental wellbeing of people with SMI.