Belfast Hills

'Growing Up Healthy Together’ is a youth-focused health and wellbeing initiative using the Belfast Hills. This project provided exciting activities for children to get into their local urban green space to connect with nature, establish healthy habits, and improve their health and wellness as outlined by NHS 5 Steps to Wellbeing. The project worked with 356 primary school students across five schools doing a six-week nature programme; 98 Summer Scheme attendees; and approximately 98 family members within the most deprived communities of Belfast. The aim was to provide positive outdoors experiences, learn new skills, collaborate together, and instil tools to start a life time of nature connectedness and healthy lifestyle choices to avoid chronic diseases. 

The focus is on Key Stage 2, and ties into ‘The World Around us’ part of the primary school curriculum. Activities included exploring various sites learning about nature, orienteering, art sessions, bush craft, conservation tasks and interactive classroom sessions. At the end of each term there was a celebration event where parents, grandparents, guardians, siblings etc are invited to take part in a nature activity, therefore encouraging a health ‘ripple effect’ in their wider community.