Covid has not stopped the expansion of Norfolk’s Green Care Network, which now has a membership of 260 people, projects and organisations.
This includes groups involved with community gardening, care and other farming, conservation work, forest schools, nature sensing and interacting with animals.
Nigel Boldero, Convenor of Norfolk Green Care Network, said what started as an informal group had now formalised its structure: ‘Though we aim to keep things simple,’ said Nigel.
As an unincorporated member association, it is striving to keep the focus on the membership. A volunteer treasurer and media and communications leads have been recruited and it is hoped that a new constitution can be approved at the first AGM in the autumn.
We are showing that online networking can be really helpful and have also started to be successful in our role of promoting green care
Nigel Boldero
New members include the Bishop of Norwich who is soon to lead the Church of England’s Environment Programme, Professors Tim O’Riordan and Jules Pretty, both highly respected and published environmental academics, and Richard Powell O.B.E., who leads the Wild Anglia group that promotes nature protection and improvement across Norfolk and Suffolk.
‘It’s great to see the momentum behind the network’s development,’ says Nigel. ‘We are showing that online networking can be really helpful and have also started to be successful in our role of promoting green care.’
The network has been involved in a successful bid for ‘Thriving Communities’ funding, which is seeking to promote social prescribing across the country. One of 37 successful projects, ‘Families Connect’ will be engaging hard-pressed families with children in ‘Families Connect Clubs’ to experience a range of arts, exercise and other activities with the underlying theme of connecting with nature.