Meadow management could become a social prescription
FRESH air and conservation work might just be what the doctor ordered, as the social prescribing team have been researching the work of the Guernsey Conservation Volunteers.
The new initiative is aiming to look at ways to help people through non-clinical services.
A wide range of options are being looked into, including the work of the GCV.
The volunteer group meet every two weeks to undertake a Saturday morning of conservation work, whether it be pulling up sour fig on the west coast or pollarding trees at a nature reserve.
Last weekend they were raking the cut hay from an orchid field close to the Doyle Monument on the south cliffs. It might have been foggy and drizzly, but a dozen volunteers turned out to muck in.
Group co-ordinator Angela Salmon said the field was cut and the grass left to dry. Now it had dried out they were raking it up to help stop the ground become too fertile and also to spread any orchid seeds, which prefer less fertile conditions.
The GCV would normally have had organised a work party in February to remove alexanders – a tall plant that can out-compete the orchids – but lockdown meant that was not possible.
Miss Salmon said she had come down in April and, despite the lack of clearance, there were still 47 early purple orchids, which is about average for the field.
‘Now what we are doing is meadow management,’ she said.
The GCV has enjoyed a rise in members during the pandemic, as people look for ways to get outside and enjoy their environment.
While Saturday’s work party was smaller than usual, as some regulars travelled to Sark for the festival, there were still some new members taking part.
Among them was Bailiwick Social Prescribing link worker Candace Green, who was mucking in to see what it was all about ahead of prescribing it to people.
‘I’ve loved it,’ she said.
‘The outdoors is so good for mental health.’
The team are looking at a variety of options, with the GCV being just one. Miss Green said it had many advantages, beyond just the outdoors and fitness aspects.
‘People might have low self-confidence and find social situations difficult, but want to do something for the community.'
She noted that the GCV team was friendly, but there was enough space for people to work alone if they preferred that. She also highlighted that as the group only met for a couple of hours every two weeks, it would be good for offering someone some social structure, but not taking up too much of their time.
‘We are trying to tailor [treatments] to what matters to them,’ she said.
‘It gets them feeling motivated within themselves.’
n To find out more about the GCV visit https://gcv.org.uk/
