Events

Wild Gathering offered a series of nature-connection events as part of the Brighton Festival in 2022. Over the course of two days we delivered several gentle, creative sessions to community groups in Hangleton Park and Whitehawk Orchard. In total we reached up to 60 people, supporting them to slow down, relax, and notice the quiet, restorative beauty of nature in each of these distinctive community settings.

Building on our core approach of mindful, sensory-led activity, each session combined guided breathwork, short mindful walks, and simple creative practices using natural materials gathered on-site. Activities were intentionally accessible and adaptable so adults of all abilities could take part comfortably. We began with grounding exercises to help groups arrive in the moment, then invited slow noticing activities and attentive listening to birdsong, wind, and the textures of grass and bark.

Sessions were shaped to suit each location’s landscape. In Hangleton Park we emphasised wide, open green spaces and the calming rhythm of wind through grasses, using longer, meditative walks to cultivate spaciousness and ease. In Whitehawk Orchard, the focus shifted to intimacy and seasonal abundance among blossom in fruit trees and scrub: we explored scent, close-up observation of buds and blossoms, and ways of harvesting small, ephemeral moments of pleasure. We were responsive to the group offering a sensitive balance between gentle structure and open exploration.

The events intentionally supported mental and physical wellbeing through slowing the nervous system and fostering social connection. Participants reported feeling less stressed, more present, and more connected to the places around them. For some, the sessions opened up curiosity about continuing nature-based practices; for others they provided a restorative pause in otherwise busy lives. Across the two days we engaged up to 60 people, many from local community groups who might not normally access green-spaces, thereby widening inclusion and bringing the therapeutic benefits of nature into everyday neighbourhoods.

This Brighton Festival events exemplified Wild Gathering’s commitment to bringing gentle, creative nature-connection opportunities into community settings. By creating slow, attentive experiences in Hangleton Park and Whitehawk Orchard, we helped participants notice the restorative qualities of local green spaces, practice simple self-regulation techniques, and leave with accessible tools for continuing nature-connected wellbeing in their daily lives.