A re-connection with nature, and the role of sport and recreation in improving mental health, is now becoming increasingly clear. The effects of outdoor activities can include stress reduction, improved mood, improved self-esteem and improved health and general wellbeing. However, there are known challenges that act as constraints to participation: lack of confidence, lack of awareness, anxiety, and cost.
We have established Blackdog Outdoors to remove these blockers, and to support people in spending quality time in our green and blue spaces, for improved wellbeing. We organise recreational events for people to attend at no cost. Details of these events, which are managed by professionally qualified outdoor professionals and supported by mental health first aiders, can be found on the events page of this site.
Our aim, at Blackdog Outdoors, is to promote outdoor recreation as a means of improving mental health and wellbeing. Many of our events are introductory events aimed at:
We’ve listed our three ‘event streams’ below to explain more about the groups we cater for.
These are open events that are available to anyone who finds their mental health acting as a barrier to them getting outdoors. An example of this event type is the monthly walks that we run to support Trail Magazine’s Mountains for the Mind campaign. The events are free to attend, and registration is via a Justgo booking link displayed in our calendar.
These are closed events that are delivered for the service users of specific groups and organisations. The cost of running these events is covered through targeted funding grants. Examples of groups that we support include:
If you run a community support group, and would benefit from our support, then please get in touch via our contact page.
These are events that are provided with the aim of upskilling individuals, raising awareness of the benefit of outdoor recreation on mental health issues, or to support corporate wellbeing initiatives. The events are delivered at market rates, with the cost covered by the customers. These services include, but are not limited to, the following:
If you’re interested in learning new skills, or would like us to plan a corporate wellbeing event, then please get in touch via our contact page.
Our aim, at Blackdog Outdoors, is to promote and encourage a re-connection with nature to improve mental health and wellbeing. We achieve this through recreational activities and, to ensure that our work remains relevant, we collect anonymous survey information from our event attendees.
Some of this information, coupled with our event statistics, is detailed below. The information continues to demonstrate that our work, undertaken throughout the UK, continues to have positive impact on our attendees.
The details below are taken from April 2019 and, as of May 19th 2024 we have delivered:
Of the above, 80% of events were delivered in England, 6% in Scotland, and 14% in Wales, supporting 3,394 people.
Our attendees are asked to complete an anonymous survey before the event, and a further survey after the event. The information gathered from these surveys allows us to benchmark feelings like mood and anxiety levels before participation, and again afterwards, to demonstrate the effect that the event has had on the attendees.
We have listed some of the survey findings below that, in all cases, demonstrates a positive trend in mental wellbeing following completion of the event.
We’re humbled to have support and backing from some incredible organisations and have created this page to promote them with the credit that they deserve. We can’t thank them enough for the continuing support that they provide!
Please drop us a note at contact@blackdogoutdoors.co.uk if you’d like to support our work.
Shortlisted for The Great Outdoors ‘campaign of the year’ in 2020
Lynne Dale – recipient of the British Canoeing ‘engagement award’ in 2020
Shortlisted for The Great Outdoors ‘open outdoors award’ in 2021
Winner of the UK Mental Health & Wellbeing Awards ‘best innovative and proactive wellbeing activity’ in 2021
Andrew Higson – recipient of the British Mountaineering Council ‘Rehan Siddiqui Award’ in 2021
Winner of the Head Outside ‘Ways to Wellbeing’ Award in 2022
Winner of the SME News ‘Best Nationwide Mental Health Support Organisation’ in 2022
Andrew Higson – recipient of the Mountain Training Association volunteer award for Wellbeing in 2022
Shortlisted for the Community & Sport Recreation Awards in 2023
Winner of the Wellbeing Champion award at the South Pennine Park Awards in 2023
Finalist of the Head Outside ‘Outstanding Organisation’ Award in 2023
Recipient of the Prime Minister ‘Points of Light‘ Award in 2023
Runner-up in the SWY Trust NHS Excellence Awards in 2024
