THE WELLDERNESS CIC
Founded in January 2021 by Matt Dumbleton & Mark Cropley.
The Wellderness is a non-profit, community interest company that brings people together in Nature, for workshops, courses & events – all tailored to improve wellbeing, increase knowledge, skills and experiences and raise awareness and encourage action to tackle environmental issues.
WHAT WE DO
We improve people’s lives through nature
and
We improve nature through people
We host regular events with the purpose of nurturing social connections and a strong personal connection to nature and the environment.
Held in Woodlands and around the warmth of our camp fire
we give you immersive experiences across different themes and a wide variety of short courses and workshops – from Bushcraft, Photography and Conservation to Self Development, Mindfulness and Yoga, delivered by members of our ever growing network of professional facilitators.
Whether you’re looking for the quieter sights and sounds of nature or a fun filled family day out, we have an event you will love!
Alongside our local activity program, we have built a national community through our social media channels. Check out our regular podcasts and interactive live streams featuring guest speakers, professionals and celebrities across a diverse range of topics – they’re all stacked full of useful information, advice and tips and a fair serving of laughter too!
WHY WE DO THIS
UK Communities are struggling, The Campaign to end Loneliness states that in total, 45% of adults feel occasionally, sometimes or often lonely.
A study by Centre for Disease Control (CDC.GOV) shows that loneliness is associated with a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke as well as higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide.
The Coronavirus has of course only made life even harder, aside from the direct health impacts of the disease itself, the UK Lockdowns have seen our entire nation and our kids spending ever increasing hours on devices; for work, school and to stay in touch with our friends and families.
Screen exposure is well researched and linked to negative health impacts including retinal damage and reduced cognitive function (thinking power).
1 in 8 UK households has no garden.
Being in Nature, or even viewing scenes of Nature not only improves our Mental and Emotional Health by reducing stress, anger and fear and increasing happiness, resilience and emotional stability. It also improves our Physical Health – reducing blood pressure, muscle tension and stress hormone production.
Ancient Woodland now covers less than 3% of the United Kingdom.
40% of that total area is made up of fragmented, small woodlands.
The UK has just 47 trees per person, compare this to Kenya (one of the least forested countries in Africa) which has 67 trees per person.
Research conducted by The Woodland Trust estimates that at least 40% of our Ancient Woodland is either un-managed or under-managed.
Woodland is an essential part of our ecosystem and has a direct impact on everybody’s lives.
UK Ancient Woodlands desperately need their local communities to come together to protect, respect and improve our Woodlands
and
UK communities desperately need the benefits of being in the Woodlands and social connection with each other.
Our vision is to positively affect the lives of 10 million people worldwide, through wilderness rehabilitation and connection to nature. To do this, over time we will scale the successful model for our West Sussex base into new areas and become the leading provider of outdoor activities for wellbeing across England.
The Wellderness CIC 