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KENT WILDLIFE RESERVE HOSTS WELLBEING EVENT FOR WOMEN’S CHARITY ADVANCE

Photo by Greg Hitchcock

Tyland Farm Nature Park & Gardens in Maidstone hosted an event for women’s charity Advance to showcase the wellbeing benefits nature has for everyone.

Advance helps women and girls who have experienced trauma through domestic abuse and the criminal justice system to rebuild their lives. The charity does this by providing practical and emotional support to survivors in their communities, in Advance’s Women’s Centres, and in collaboration with specialist partners. Advance’s centre in Canterbury is one of 11 in the South and East of England and across London.

Activities at the wellbeing event, made possible by a Fidelity grant, included mindfulness exercises and a ‘wildlife alphabet’ which challenges participants to find at least one natural object for every letter.

Juliann Ledger, community keyworker for Advance Kent, said:

“Advance Kent is fully supportive of events that empower women to access wellbeing activities which enable them to continue to grow, helping them improve their self-worth and feel part of their own journey.”

*Linda, a service user for Advance Kent, said:

“It would have been so easy to just stay at home today, feeling low and worrying. But I’m so glad to have been able to come along to the wildlife park and enjoy being in such a beautiful, peaceful environment.”

Nikki Cresswell, Wilder Wellbeing Officer for Kent Wildlife Trust, said:

“A quick blast of nature is something so easy to do for yourself, that will give you a really simple boost to your wellbeing. Nature is such a powerful booster that research has shown that even being able to look at pictures of nature while in hospital has helped patients recover faster. Amazing.

“We’ve been delighted to have Advance here for the first time and hope that it’s the start of an ongoing relationship with the charity.”

Kent Wildlife Trust runs FREE 6-week Wilder Wellbeing Programmes across Kent. The next ones are at Tyland Barn, Maidstone, 30th April - 4th June, Tuesday afternoons, and Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 2nd May - 6th June, Thursday mornings. You can sign up via the link on the website or email wilderwellbeing@kentwildlife.org.uk

Editor's notes

Media enquiries

For more information, please contact Tracie Couper, Press Officer at Advance, at tracie.c@advancecharity.org.uk or on 0743 2700 287.

 

  • Advance’s specialist advocates work in partnership with 11 local and national women’s service providers, alongside statutory services to provide services within women’s communities across the 6 regions of Hampshire, Kent, Thames Valley, Essex, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire.
  • Through our woman-centred approach, we aim to prevent the cycle of re-offending, tackling issues such as lack of consistent housing and homelessness, domestic abuse and sexual violence, mental health, emotional well-being, parenting and family relationships, education training and employment, finance, benefits, and debt.
  • 53% of women in prison report having experienced emotional, physical, or sexual abuse as a child compared to 22% of men.
  • 72% of women who entered prison in 2020 have committed a non-violent offence.
  • 57% of women in prison and under community supervision report being victims of domestic abuse. The true figure is likely higher, as many women fear disclosing abuse.
  • 50% of women, compared to 22% of men, have reported that they offended to support someone else’s drug use.
  • Read more in Advance’s report – A Strange Empty Place – here.

About Advance

  • Advance’s vision is a world in which women and children lead safe, equal, violence-free lives so that they can flourish and actively contribute to society. The charity works with women who experience domestic abuse to be safe and take control of their lives, and women who have committed crime or are at risk of offending to break the cycle.
  • As well as providing direct support, Advance works with statutory services, government agencies and other women’s charities to ensure a holistic approach to the issues these women face.
  • Women must be referred to Advance, via statutory services or the charity’s self-referral scheme. For more information about who Advance can support, please visit https://www.advancecharity.org.uk/get-help/.
  • For facts and statistics about domestic abuse and women in the criminal justice system, as well as Advance’s work, please visit https://www.advancecharity.org.uk/who-we-are/our-impact/.