Branching out is a tried and tested initiative which was pioneered by Forestry Scotland in 2009. The programme consists of half a day of woodland activities per week, for a duration of 12 weeks, delivered in the woods or greenspaces accessible to communities.
FCCT is proud to bring Branching Out to women and men in our Fife communities. Especially now, in a time when it is needed more than ever.
In 2023 we have seen a decade or more of slowly declining mental health within our communities. Fife now has record levels of people in the community who are struggling with their mental health, but who do not have a defined mental illness. Conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder and eating disorders are commonplace. However they can often be transient, not chronic, can change over time and can be curable with lifestyle changes or medication and often both. Many people in the community suffer from these conditions and will go undiagnosed.
Numerous modern studies demonstrate that outdoor and greenspace activities can be an effective supplementary therapy for people with a range of mental and physical disorders. Mental health benefits include better ability to focus and enhanced cognitive capacity, as well as improved mood and self-esteem.
Our programme, for women and men, is informed by these studies and was originally designed in partnership between Scottish Forestry and the NHS.
What is involved?  
It is a 12-week programme in which a group of 12 participants come along for a few hours, one day a week. Participants will learn and build things. They will engage in a wide range of woodland activities including conservation, art with natural materials, mindfulness, photography, and bush craft.  Activities will be underpinned by personal development sessions and participants will simultaneously complete the John Muir Award if they wish.
Who is the programme for?
This programme is designed for anyone who is being impacted negatively by sustained periods of low mood and poor mental health. It’s also suitable for people with diagnosed mental health issues.
Where will it be delivered?  
Programme locations will vary from course to course. Venues are chosen for their quality as a programme resource, along with their proximity to services and service users.
How can I get referred? 
If you are an existing service user and would like to be referred onto our programme, please ask your support worker to use our online referral form and contact us. We will be happy to discuss any questions they may have.
Can I self-refer?
If you are not an existing service user, please contact Aidan Duncan to discuss suitability.
Download our Branching Out flyer.
Fife Coast and Countryside Trust deliver a range of Environmental Education options. Visit our website page to find out more or book a session.
Read Rich Webster’s blog about the healing powers of being with horses at Branching Out.
Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline, was the venue for our Branching Out programme in Spring/Summer 2024.
The first session was all about getting to know each other, and the locals… we were joined by a few inquisitive grey squirrels and the sounds of cooing pigeons in the trees overhead which really added to the calm and relaxing setting.
Planting
We had various activities planned. We planted chilli, pepper, lettuce and spring onion seeds as part of a project to grow something useful from scratch. Participants took responsibility for the seedlings, making sure they were watered and looked after. A special thanks to gardener Mike Wallace for giving us greenhouse space and watering between our sessions.
Horse therapy
We were excited to welcome Louis and Kiki from The Big Hoof, a horse therapy charity. The horses, Sasha & Izzy, were star attractions and spread a very calming atmosphere. We all had a chance to brush and clean their feet and get up close to these beautiful animals. A lucky few experienced a short horseback ride for the very first time.
At a second session later in the programme, we were very fortunate to visit The Big Hoof’s home. We brushed the horses and cleaned their feet and had another chance to get on horseback. As well as horses, we were treated to the company of Kiki and Louis’s beautiful ridgeback dogs, and their family pet pigs! And we made fresh garlic pesto using garlic foraged from around the farm.
A massive thank you to Louis and Kiki.
Cooking week
Rich made a veggie chilli for everyone using a Dutch oven (a heavy duty pot used on campfires). The chilli was cooked on the campfire under the trees, showing just how simple outdoor cooking can be. The food was a hit with almost all coming back for seconds!
We spent time around the fire learning new skills: using a fire steel to create a spark for making a fire and then knot tying.
Art and crafts
Our participants went on a scavenger hunt for natural materials. We laid them out in various ways on sun paper which, when exposed to the sun, leaves a beautiful pattern.
We made and then decorated bird boxes with environmentally-friendly paint. They were hung in a north-easterly direction to provide protection from direct sunlight, wind, and rain. This was a great team-building exercise and the group took real pride in the task.
As the programme wound up, our participants were given the chance to demonstrate some of the skills they have learnt. They tended to their seeds and discovered that their sun paper images had turned out beautifully and appeared almost 3D. They started the campfire and Kelly kettles using fire starters and scavenged for natural materials to make a decorative table centre piece. We had fun at the end making clay face sculptures. We ended the programme with a wee celebration.
