Green social prescribing delivered by community organisations supports wellbeing among ethnically diverse communities in England

Social prescribing connects people to community activities and services to meet practical, social and emotional needs affecting their health and wellbeing. Green social prescribing (GSP) focuses on prescribed activities that are nature-based using green and/or blue spaces. GSP has the potential to address health inequalities faced by migrants and refugees. We aimed to understand how GSP activities impacted the health and wellbeing of individuals in ethnically diverse communities within Hull and York (England) working alongside community organisations (n = 6) to deliver the research. This study utilised a mixed methods design; A pre-post intervention study design (n = 103) and face-to-face, semi-structured interviews (n = 20). Participants were recruited from community organisations (n = 6). Our study identified that a high proportion of people participating in GSP activity were able to sustain or improve their overall wellbeing. After 6-months of engagement in GSP activity, slight improvements were observed in scores for all ONS4 questions however only the anxiety construct demonstrated a statistically significant change (Mean change: -0.7 (95% CI -1.4 to 0.01). Qualitative data indicated community organisations are seen as trusted providers who can support access and engagement with green space. The study provided evidence that GSP can help to maintain and improve wellbeing within underserved communities, even at times of social and economic stress. Community organisations have a strong reach to those suffering the most health inequalities and can play a significant role in supporting health and wellbeing when empowered and provided with the appropriate resources.