Actif Woods Wales

Re-discover yourself the woodland way!

Discover how small woodlands can help breathe new life into your soul, while learning to care for them. Join the Actif Woods Wales programme in your area for a wide range of woodland health and wellbeing activities – from bush craft to woodland walks, from conservation to campfire cooking, and foraging to mindfulness, and:

• Discover new skills and passions
• Find confidence
• Exercise
• Make friends
• Help to protect our environment

Woodland Activities

Join our Actif Woods Wales programme for a huge array of woodland activities, such as:

• Woodland walks
• Conservation and woodland management
• Art and Bushcraft
• Survival skills
• Campfire cooking and foraging
• Mindfulness in the woods
• and much more!

Getting Healthy the Woodland Way

Our Actif Woods Wales programme is changing lives across Wales. We run woodland health and wellbeing activities with and for people:

• Aged 25 + and long-term unemployed or economically inactive, AND
• A carer
• Experiencing a health condition
• Aged over 54

Find your local Woodland Group:

Coed Lleol run community health and wellbeing activities in nine locations across Wales, through our Actif Woods Wales programme. Find out more about woodland activities in your local area:

1. Ceredigion (including Aberystwyth)
2. Anglesey
3. Flintshire
4. Gwynedd
5. Merythr Tydfil
6. Neath Port Talbot
7. Swansea
8. Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT, including Treherbert)
9. Wrexham

Actif Woods Wales Project History and Timeline

Since November 2010 Coed Lleol has focused entirely on the Actif Woods Wales project. See the timeline below. For the history of Coed Lleol’s previous projects see HERE

2010

Coed Lleol worked in partnership with Forestry Commission Wales and the Countryside Council for Wales (now both Natural Resources Wales) to pilot the ‘Actif Woods Wales’ project in Aberystwyth and Treherbert, which started in November 2010. Actif Woods Wales’ aim was to improve the physical, mental and social well-being of the most disadvantaged people through outdoor woodland activities which promote health and well-being. An impact model evolved, partnering health and social care organisations with woodland leaders, and providing training and support to develop cross-sector skills and services for people with a wide range of health conditions.

2013

Due to its success and the demonstrated need for the project, funding was secured from the Big Lottery and NRW   (and a number of local funders) to support Coed Lleol to expand to 5 locations across Wales. This formed a 3 Year  funded Actif Woods Wales project running from April 2013- March 2016.

August 2013 – Projects start in Wrexham and Neath Port Talbot

2014

January 2014 – Project starts in Anglesey.

In 2014, NRW entered into a ‘Joint Working Partnership’ with Coed Lleol to continue to deliver Actif Woods Wales and to expand it further. This partnership runs until March 2018, with funding already agreed, and aspires to delivery in 10 locations, once match funding has been secured.

2015

January – Natural Resources Wales Partnership Funding agreed for Actif Woods Wales 2015-2018

June to October:

• Stakeholder consultation meetings in 5 current areas
• Taster Day and scoping meetings in 5 new areas
• Drafting of Stage 2 bid to Big Lottery People and Places fund for 2016-18

November – Submission of Stage 2 bid to Big Lottery People and Places fund for 2016-18.

2018

Coed Lleol currently runs community health and wellbeing activities across Wales. Find an Actif Woods Wales programme, activities and events in your area (see locations above).