Women seeking relief from menopause and perimenopause symptoms are being offered a free nature therapy programme in the Suffolk and Norfolk Brecks.
Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers landscape partnership scheme (BFER) is launching the programme across different outdoor locations in the Brecks.
It will be delivered by Suffolk-based wellness organisation Adaptable by Design.
It will be free of charge to participants with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and it is hoped it will provide "an inclusive engagement opportunity for Brecks communities", said BFER.
Women who suspect they are in any stage of menopause are being offered a seven-week programme over March and April.
Nature Therapy involves guided outdoor workshops centred around the practice of shinrin-yoku - a Japanese term which translates as "forest bathing".
Participants take an easy, gentle walk and are invited to engage in sensory immersive activities.
Gina Geremia, programme facilitator and director of Adaptable By Design, said: “We know that spending time in nature is a pathway toward improving mental and physical health.
"We’re using this pathway as the foundation of our approach and harnessing nature’s positive effects on the human body to manage symptoms of menopause."
Symptoms of perimenopause or menopause can include poor sleep patterns, inability to focus, low energy levels, and high stress and anxiety.
"Spending time in nature has long been associated with inducing a sense of calm and acting as a mood elevator, said Gina.
"There are also numerous studies demonstrating that intentional moments of sensory immersion in nature, like forest bathing, can lower stress levels, cortisol levels and blood pressure, improve cognitive function, restore focus and concentration, and even reduce inflammation and strengthen immunity. All of this is helpful during our menopause years.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the programme and how to take part, contact BFER at: bfer.admin@suffolk.gov.uk
BFER is a programme of projects working to celebrate and conserve the unique landscapes and heritage of the Norfolk and Suffolk Brecks, with particular focus on Brecks rivers.
It is hosted by Suffolk County Council and is based in the heart of the Brecks in the Thetford Town Council Offices in the Carnegie, Thetford.
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