Features / nature connection
The organisation asking ‘who gets to feel safe in nature?’
Soul Trail Wellbeing began its pioneering work during the Covid pandemic, a time when people were discovering the joy found in nature on their doorstep.
Leanne Wharton, working as mental health lead for the fire service, noticed nature benefited her own wellbeing and enjoyed connecting with family outdoors.
But she also recognised a lack of diversity in green spaces, sparking her mission to break down barriers to nature, tackle racial inequalities in the great outdoors and make its health benefits available to everyone.
Since then Soul Trail, a Black-led community interest company (CIC), has gone from strength to strength with 2025 its biggest year yet and exciting new projects on the horizon.
With hikes, therapeutic activities in nature and creative workshops Soul Trail supported 165 people last year
Its latest impact report outlines the stats and stories of people it has supported over the last year with hikes, nature connection programmes and specialist workshops including menopause, nature and health, improving confidence for unemployed people, creative pursuits like poetry, photography and foraging, and wellbeing walks for mixed heritage women, parents and carers.
“We’re incredibly proud of the impact we are creating in the community,” Leanne said. “We believe everyone deserves to feel they belong in nature. This report reflects the real life stories of people overcoming barriers and finding belonging in nature.”
More than 400 people have joined Soul Trail guided hikes since 2021, with 82 per cent of last year’s participants from a Global Majority background and 90 per cent saying the experience improved their overall wellbeing.
Soul Trail, set up by Leanne Wharton, is a Black-led organisation that supports people from marginalised background who are overwhelmingly underrepresented in green spaces
In recognition of the CIC’s consistent ability to improve confidence, reduce anxiety and foster a sense of belonging, its therapeutic programmes have been funded by the NHS integrated care board.
In 2025 the Soul Trail team, all of marginalised backgrounds, presented talks to more than 250 people to raise awareness of racial equity in nature, and collaborated with a range of organisations including the Festival of Nature, Avon Needs Trees, Bristol Libraries and the Natural History Consortium.
They launched the groundbreaking Nature Consortia with Open Minds Active and Active Being, combining the efforts of the organisations offering green social prescribing to people experiencing inequalities or long term health conditions in Bristol and reportedly reducing the anxiety of 98 per cent of attendees.
Through nature-based creative workshops including photography, poetry, foraging and more, people taking part have found reduced anxiety, improved confidence, connection and wellbeing
And, in a history-making move, Soul Trail organised the UK’s first Racial Equity in Nature awards which they called ‘a night of overdue recognition, connection and community impact’ to celebrate the people in Bristol working towards environmental justice and an inclusive outdoors.
The event, at the Patagonia store last November, was addressed by the Lord Lieutenant of Bristol Peaches Golding who called for deeper connection between community, nature and awareness, and Afro-fusion rapper MoYah and Sri Lankan poet Subitha Baghirathan performed.
The Trailblazer award was given to Nature Rising, a project highlighting and supporting the environmental work of Global Majority people in their communities.
Ian Solomon KMT was crowned Grassroots Hero for the May Project Gardens for marginalised young people which combines hip hop and permaculture.
And the honorary Racial Equity in Nature award was given to Judy Campbell, an environmental project officer focused on nature and health at WECA.
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Looking to the future, Soul Trail would like to build on the success of the evening to launch a national awards show.
“I feel hopeful for an even bigger 2026,” said Wharton. “Reaching beyond Bristol, expanding our team and having a wider reach to communities.
“More than ever, I want us to keep opening up the outdoors, helping more people feel they have a place to belong”.
All photos: Soul Trail Wellbeing
Read next:
- ‘Stories, firelight, space to grow’ – Inside the Birch Collective’s summer celebration
- Urgent action needed to reverse nature decline
- River rights could be recognised by first ever bioregional charter
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