WWF x GoodGym Partnership
100s of sessions across the UK - WWF’s Prescription for Nature
March 31, 2025
Partnership
By working together WWF and GoodGym will enable:
- 1000’s of people to get active and benefit nature near them
- 1000 new people to benefit from the wellbeing boosting sessions of GoodGym
People across the UK will finally be able to take real action to improve the environment on their doorstep by taking part in any 1 of the 100’s of sessions happening from April 7th.
Mental Health & Nature
The UK is experiencing a mental health crisis. From stress in our daily lives to anxiety over global issues, we all need a little help looking after our wellbeing. One in six people in England report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety or depression) in any given week. A 2024 report published by the WWF found spending as little as 20 minutes in nature a day can be enough to lift your mood and reduce stress and anxiety.
To take action against the rising mental health crisis and celebrate Earth Day, WWF has partnered with GoodGym to create 100’s of sessions in more than 50 urban locations across the UK. Each session will be in nature, for nature; benefitting participants and nature in their area by combining practical volunteering with exercise. The mental health boosting benefits of exercise and volunteering were deemed “extraordinary” by the London School of Economics in their research with GoodGym last year.
The partnership between WWF and GoodGym allows WWF’s Prescription for Nature campaign to take root in communities across the UK, offering supporters the chance to take real action through GoodGym sessions such as:
- Preparing Earlsdon Primary School allotments in Coventry
- Digging and tidying at Barnsbury Square Gardens in Islington
- Keeping on top of award winning beautiful space, Park Lane in Liverpool
- Moss removal for a children's play area in Bournemouth
- and many more…
Across this period, GoodGymers will be found doing it all. From gardening at allotments, planting trees in parks, or creating biodiversity hotspots such as dead hedges and bug hotels, each with the sole purpose to improve the local environment and the participants mental health.
1000 new people will take part in GoodGym sessions as part of their Prescription for Nature, joining the 1000’s of other good deeds being done across the 4 week period. Together, WWF and GoodGym will enable everyday people to take control and improve their mental and physical health. By doing so they will grow and maintain green spaces for countless others to enjoy as well.
GoodGym’s environmental impact through exercise isn’t limited to Prescription for Nature. GoodGym creates more than 350 ‘green’ sessions every month involving tasks that benefit the local environment. Through these sessions, thousands of hours are devoted each month to growing and maintaining green spaces across the UK. It’s not surprising then to see 18.6% of GoodGymers rate the environment as the most important social issue to them in a recent study, second only to community cohesion at 27.4%.
The collaboration between WWF and GoodGym will equip thousands of people across with the tools they need to be their happiest, healthiest selves. Better still, the energy put into local green spaces during this time will have long lasting benefits for the surrounding community.
Fantastic! Incredible! Amazing! We are so happy at what you achieved in such a short time. The 65 lavender plants are all in and the 4 trees are rescued!!
Community garden spokesperson, Greenwich
Explore GoodGym x WWF sessions
Visit WWF's Prescription for Nature webpage