A Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire

The UK’s first protected landscape–led Natural Health Service.

A green social prescribing programme helping people to live healthier, more active and connected lives through a connection with nature and the region’s National Parks and Landscapes.

The programme is delivered by the North York Moors Trust, North York Moors National Park, Yorkshire Dales National Park, Howardian Hills National Landscape and Nidderdale National Landscape.

Read More: Pilot Report 2026

The programme offers a structured and practical approach to connecting people with nature.

This includes a 10-week programme of guided outdoor sessions, using sensory and hands-on activities to support health and wellbeing, reduce social isolation, and help people to become more active.

Participants develop personalised “Nature Plans”, setting out simple steps to stay connected with nature and link into local community activity beyond the programme.

Alongside this, the programme provides training for professionals across sectors including health, housing, employment, community services, and criminal justice, building knowledge and confidence to use nature as a health asset in prevention, treatment and recovery.

The programme builds on successful regional pilots, including Nature Prescriptions and Growing Green and Blue Health, and is supported by strong evidence showing that time in nature can reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, support physical health and build confidence.

It also demonstrates a cost-effective approach to reducing demand on health and other public services.

Covering almost half the region, North Yorkshire’s protected landscapes are uniquely placed to support this work and demonstrate the role that nature can play in improving health and wellbeing.

The programme is currently in delivery, with participants taking part in the 10-week intervention and professionals across multiple sectors engaging in training and referral pathways. Monitoring and evaluation is ongoing to understand outcomes, demand and future potential.

Backed by £100,000 funding from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, this forms part of Mayor David Skaith’s Moving Forward campaign. A £7million investment to create healthy and thriving communities.

The pilot is due to complete at the end of March 2026. The final report produced by independent evaluators will be published in May 2026.

The programme is led by the North York Moors Trust and delivered in partnership with the North York Moors National Park, Yorkshire Dales National Park, Howardian Hills National Landscape, and Nidderdale National Landscape. The independent evaluators are York St John University.

Feedback

  • The programme and group has made being outdoors a safe place again.

    Participant (veteran), Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire (2026)

  • This is the best winter I have had in 20 years and the least hospitalisations

    Participant (carer), Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire (2026)

  • “I'm even thinking that it might be the right time to think about doing a few hours of employment, which I've not participated in for 20 years.”

    Participant, Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire (2026)

  • Thank you for your dedication, support and commitment to the group. It has been a life saver for me and the most welcome relief from my full time caring role!

    Participant, Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire (2026)

  • "Embedding the Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire into our Healthy You offer has provided participants with a meaningful and motivating way to connect with nature. We’ve seen people develop a renewed sense of purpose through simple activities - whether that’s spending time in their own garden, exploring local green spaces, or visiting national parks and landscapes. This has supported a positive shift in both physical activity and mental wellbeing, with many participants feeling fitter, more engaged, and more connected overall."

    Officer, Healthy You, North Yorkshire Council

  • “Even my daughter noticed that I've changed. She was like, oh mommy, you know, you are much calmer today."

    Participant, Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire (2026)

  • I share nature with family. I share information with other clients. The choices I am making in my spare time have changed and I'm appreciating things I would never have noticed.

    Participant Key Worker, Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire (2026)

  • I go outside when I feel stressed. I ground myself, listen and watch. Along with being aware of my breathing, I find myself calming down.

    Participant when asked do you connect with nature differently since taking part in the Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire nature intervention (2026)

  • "My job role involves regular assessment and contact with individuals experiencing significant mental distress in relation to anxiety, depression among other common or less common presenting complaints. In my role I am continually striving to find pathways which are suitable, evidence based and effective in meeting people's needs and helping them in the management of their distress experienced whatever this may resemble. I strongly believe that the National Health Service for North Yorkshire is a fantastic opportunity and addition to the pathways we offer individual's as this strongly embraces the core values around Behavioural Activation, the benefits of exercise upon mental ill health and the opportunity to develop safe and therapeutic spaces which are cathartic to need and offer purpose as well as a place for solace and individual reflection."

    Advanced First Contact Mental Health Nurse, NHS

  • I have a lady who doesn't leave the house. She doesn't go out of the house, even onto the doorstep. So, being able to say, right, in this calendar, it says, look from your window. You don't have to go outside to connect. It's okay. It's still safe. To then be able to get her to then go out into a garden, and take those steps.

    Mental Health Practitioner who undertook training through the Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire (2026)

  • Made a big difference - got me out of the house. Connected me with nature but also with people.

    Participant when ask how has the Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire made a difference to your life (2026)

  • “It's given me more structure in my daily life that is I've built on the fact getting up quite early and getting dressed, sleeping better.”

    Participant, Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire (2026)

  • “So it’s a different mindset to a certain extent. It’s definitely the way forward for people for getting them outside and getting them in contact with nature and it definitely helps with mental health. I can’t see how it can’t help somebody, because the aspects of it, it’s not heavy going too much, its being outside with walking, so basically doing something as well. So your exercising, so you are producing the right chemicals in your body, so there’s no way that you can’t really benefit from this at all. Everybody will walk away with something from it”

    Participant, Natural Health Service for North Yorkshire (2026)

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Stepping Stones to Nature