Donations take group on ‘Urban Wild’ trip

We helped some of our service users attend an ‘Urban Wild’ day out recently thanks to generous donations from members of the public (June 2025).

We took those, who find it hard to get out on their own, to one of Southampton National Park City’s events on the Common at the end of May.

Combat isolation

Annie, our Manager, says: “Outings like this are crucial, offering numerous benefits that impact physical, mental and emotional well-being. They combat isolation, reduce feelings of loneliness, and provide social interaction, which is vital for maintaining healthy social connections.

“Trips out also promote physical activity, stimulate the mind, and offer a change of scenery, leading to improved mood and cognitive function.

JustGiving success

“We set-up a JustGiving page and requested donations to help us fund an accessible minibus to get people to the event. We needed £300 to be able to make the trip viable and were delighted when we reached our goal within a couple of weeks thanks to lots of very kind donations from members of the public.

Very grateful

“We’re very grateful to Southampton National Park City, the organisers of Urban Wild, for suggesting this outing to us and are indebted to them for their support too. We also worked closely with Southampton Collective CIC, a local social enterprise promoting a healthier and sustainable city, powered by its communities, to get this trip up and running.

Best lives

“We’re here to help people live their best lives, rather than to just exist. There has been lots of research showing how loneliness impacts on both someone’s physical and mental well-being. It’s known as a ‘silent killer.’ So, outings like this are really, really important.”