Time to Talk Day, 5th February 2026, is a national awareness day that encourages people to have open conversations about mental health. It’s a chance to break down the stigma, check in with one another and remind ourselves that talking really does help.
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the benefits of talking and spending time in nature
Spending time outdoors can make talking feel easier and less pressured, whether it’s going for a walk, sitting in a green space, or taking part in outdoor activities together.
Research shows that spending 2 hours a week in nature can lead to significant improvements in overall health and psychological wellbeing.
So, maybe this week, consider taking a walk with a friend or family member and start up a conversation – you never know how it may help.
How Green Light Trust supports conversations
At Green Light Trust, there are plenty of opportunities on our courses to talk to others as much as you feel comfortable to do so. Being in nature creates a relaxed, supportive environment where conversations happen more naturally.
One of our previous participants said it best:
“We would all sit around the fire and spend a little time introducing ourselves and talking, saying as much or as little as we wanted to; whether it was a silly chosen topic (favourite cookie flavour) or how we felt our week has gone.
There was plenty of time to talk to others. As the people attending each week were the same throughout the 12-weeks, you start to get to know one another and make some friends. Everyone there was so accommodating, understanding and non-judgmental.”
We would all sit around the fire and spend a little time introducing ourselves and talking, saying as much or as little as we wanted to…
Naturally inspiring news, events and stories, four times a year.
News > Veganuary: For people, animals and the planet
Veganuary: for people, animals and the planet
9th January 2026
3 mins
What is Veganuary?
Veganuary is a global campaign that takes place every January, encouraging people to try a vegan diet for the month. It’s about exploring plant-based food, learning new recipes, and discovering how our everyday choices can make a positive difference.
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What are some of the benefits of taking part in veganuary?
1. Health
Boosts fibre, vitamin and mineral intake.
Can improve energy levels and wellbeing.
Supports heart and gut health.
2. Animals
Reduces demand for intensive farming.
Helps prevent animal suffering.
Encourages more compassionate food choices.
3. Environment
Lowers carbon emissions.
Uses less land and water.
Helps protect wildlife and habitats.
Grow your own food this year!
Growing your own food deepens your connection with nature and helps us to understand where food really comes from, plus it tastes great!
Even in Winter, you can start growing your own food indoors or undercover.
Why not try planting…
Broad beans – Sow in pots or a sheltered spot for early crops
Peas – Start indoors for strong young plants
Onions (from seed) – Slow to start but rewarding later
Leeks – Ideal for early sowing indoors
Spinach – Hardy varieties do well under cover
Salad leaves and microgreens – Quick-growing and perfect for windowsills
Growing vegetables reduces food miles, supports soil health, and brings fresh, affordable produce to your plate.
Hearty, warming and full of flavour, this Veganuary recipe includes seasonal veg and is similar to what we might cook on the campfire at Green Light Trust.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 carrot, diced
1 parsnip or sweet potato, diced
1 red pepper (optional but seasonal stored crop), chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1–2 tsp chilli powder (to taste)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tin black beans or mixed beans
300ml vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings: chopped coriander, sliced spring onions, dairy-free yoghurt
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion until soft.
Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, chilli powder and coriander. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in the carrot, parsnip or sweet potato and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, beans and vegetable stock.
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 30–40 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the chilli has thickened.
Season to taste and serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with rice, baked potatoes, or crusty bread.
Leftovers taste even better the next day and freeze well.
Green Light Trust would like to say a big thank you to our corporate partners for their ongoing support this year. You have all played a key part in helping children, young people and adults to connect with nature and improve wellbeing.
Thank you to our regular corporate partners:
Barenbrug
Gascoynes
NotcuttsGarden Centres
Save Money Cut Carbon
Videndum Production Solutions
We are grateful for all the time and support they have dedicated to us this year through providing services in kind and volunteering.
Could you make us your charity of the year 2026?
Choosing us as your Charity of The Year (COTY), has a number of benefits, from bringing your team together, to demonstrating your Corporate Social Responsibility.
Improve employee wellbeing, engagement and retention: Our partnerships help your teams make a difference through their work. Our volunteering opportunites give employees powerful experiences that improve wellbeing and connection.
Positive PR: Helping others feel good demonstrates your values to the world. Earn positive recognition for your generous partnership.
Evidence your impact: Our work is authentic, locally rooted and a partnership with us can help you deliver your social and environmental impact aspirations.
Leave a lasting legacy: Our programmes change lives though nature. When we combine the power of your organisation with our impact, we’re able to create a better world together.
Give back to your community: Every person we support is local to Norfolk or Suffolk. Your support directly helps your community.
Protect natural spaces: Our work is exceptional because we deliver it in woodland spaces. Help us protect them.
Whether you have contributed with fundraising events, donations, or have provided valuable resources such as services in kind or use of your meeting space, your contribution helps us continue our vital work.
Hayley, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND SUPPORT SERVICES
See you next year?
If you’d like to find out more about what we do, feel free to attend one of our corporate net-walking events that we will be hosting in the woods next year. Follow us on socials and sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date.
Learn about our support for adult mental health and wellbeing and read a Q&A with one of our participants, Alice, who explains more about her time on one of our 12-week pathways.
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alice’s experience at green light trust
Tell us about yourself and how you came to Green Light Trust?
My name is Alice, I am 35 years old and I have had involvement from secondary mental health services for the past 3-years and I have also had a number of admissions in acute mental health wards. I am autistic and I also have ADHD, along with mental health difficulties.
As part of my recovery and as a way to help me reintegrate back into the community, I was referred to Green Light Trust. Even though I had never met the support worker before, she was so lovely and spent so much time talking to me over the phone.
I needed some routine and structure to build my self-confidence and have something to fill my weeks with. I decided to take a leap and go out of my comfort zone and have a try; and thank goodness I did!
How did you begin your day?
I would arrive just before 10am. We would all sit around the fire and spend a little time introducing ourselves and talking, saying as much or as little as we wanted to. The leader would talk about what the plans were for the day and – most importantly – find out what was on the menu for lunch!
After our morning circle time, we’d often go for a mindful walk around the woodlands and it was never ‘just a walk’.
During our walk, we would be encouraged to be mindful and seek out new things that we’d never come across before. Sometimes we would take rakes around with us and rake the leaves off of the paths as we went along (if you were feeling energetic), to help make it easier for other camp users to access them. This was a greatway to warm up, especially in the more colder winter weeks. I found it ironic and rather funny that the thought of raking a literal forest floor was actually a purposeful task!
The walk was very much weather and group-energy dependent, so if people wanted a shorter walk, then there were many circuits to accommodate this and the same goes for those wishing for longer ones.
What did your afternoon look like?
When we arrived back at the camp, time for another hot drink and some biscuits.
We would then do our main focus task of the day, which would have been different each week and included activities like wood collection for making things with and felling trees (this was awesome by the way and I now know how to chop down a rather large tree by myself, safely and without using a chainsaw!)
There were craft activities and you could also offer to help prepare and make lunch. I brought my guitar along a couple of times and we’d sing around the fire; kumbaya vibes anyone?!
If you were feeling a little low or tired, or just felt unable to take part in the activities on any given week or time during the session, then that was morethan OK too.
There was plenty of time to talk to others. As the people attending each week were the same throughout the 12-weeks, you start to get to know one another and make some friends. Everyone there was so accommodating, understanding and non-judgmental.
How did staff support you during your time at Green Light Trust?
Each week you have a short 1:1 chat with the camp leader, where you have the opportunity to talk about what you hope to achieve. The staff there are always around to help support you in reaching your targets or simply getting through the morning. To start with, my target was as simple as turning up each week, but after a few weeks, this was no trouble for me at all.
What were some of the benefits of attending?
I have since stayed in touch with a wonderful friend who I had met there, and I came away from the 12-week course with far more knowledge about the outdoors and a far greater ability to just ‘be’ in nature than I ever had before. It also gave me the confidence to then go on to apply to become a volunteer for another support charity and I got the position; I owe a great deal to having done this course, as it helped with my confidence in meeting people immensely.
I have since met up with a few friends I met on the course and it was lovely to have bonded over the activities we had done and our time spent in the woods.
Did you notice a change in yourself from the start to the end of the course?
To start with, I was just adamant to finish the course, just to say that I had completed it and ticked a box (and also to make the referral and the lovely many hours spent talking on the phone to the coordinator worth their time), but it wasn’t long before I found a sense of belonging there and looked forward to those Monday mornings and didn’t want for them to end!
Any advice for others who may be considering attending?
The only advice I would give you is; if you’re doing it in the winter, be sure to take plenty of warm clothing. Layer up if you can, because sometimes it does get very cold. Gloves are an absolute must. But don’t forget that the fire is always going if you ever need to thaw out!
I do really hope that you will take that leap, push yourself out of your comfort zone and have a go; you really have nothing to lose.
Since leaving Green Light Trust, Alice is now in full time employment working in the mental health field- an amazing achievement!
I decided to take a leap and go out of my comfort zone and have a try; and thank goodness I did!
Green Light Trust is organising some exciting events over the next few months, and we would love you to take part. These are opportunities to raise vital funds, stay connected and spend time in the great outdoors.
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FUNDRAISING HELPS PEOPLE AND NATURE TO FLOURISH
Fundraising is a fantastic way to get involved in our impactful work and have fun in the process!
By taking part in fundraising, you’re helping us to support children, young people and adults to connect with nature and improve their wellbeing.
Through our initiatives and conservation work, we’re able to improve people’s lives and the spaces we deliver our programmes in.
Our work has even greater impact thanks to the efforts of generous people like you taking part in fundraising.
Thank you!
SKYDIVE
If you are feeling brave, join us on Saturday 29th November at Beccles Airfield, and jump out of a plane from 13,000 ft!
Green Light Trust today announces that its CEO, Lauren will be stepping down at the end of August for personal reasons. Since joining the organisation in April 2021, Lauren has led through a period of growth, impact and strategic development.
It has been a wonderful privilege to lead Green Light Trust. After much consideration, I have made the difficult decision to step away from my role due to personal circumstances. I am incredibly proud of the work we’ve done together and I leave knowing the Trust is in strong, capable hands.
Lauren
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The Board of Trustees has confirmed that Helena Harris, currently Head of Operations, will step into the Interim CEO position. As a well-respected internal leader, Helena brings strong continuity and deep understanding of the organisation’s mission and values.
We are grateful to Lauren for her leadership and dedication during a time of growth and transformation for the Trust. We will miss Lauren, but fully support her decision at this very difficult time. We look forward with confidence as Helena takes on the role and continues to lead Green Light Trust into its next chapter.
Naturally inspiring news, events and stories, four times a year.
News > Green Light Trust celebrates the importance of Volunteers’ Week
This week organisations all over the country have been celebrating the wonderful work of volunteers.
6th June 2025
3 mins
To spread the word about our volunteering initiative we attended the Volunteer Extravaganza at the Forum in Norwich this week. It was an excellent chance to share the varies roles we offer, whilst having fun with some creative activities using materials from our natural environment.
Have a listen to us on BBC Radio Norfolk to find out more about the day…
Volunteering for me is a very rewarding experience. To see other people start to blossom, smile, and laugh again is better than any financial reward...
Although I only work part time, being able to volunteer and give something back is very cathartic. After all, sometimes all we need is a listening ear, or a lending hand
Green Light Trust volunteer
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Volunteering is more than just giving back…
It’s about being part of a community, gaining new experiences, and making connections that matter.
It can give people the chance to try something new and exciting in their local area whilst helping out organisations like Green Light Trust.
If you’ve ever thought about volunteering, there’s never been a better time to get involved. You don’t need experience, just enthusiasm and a desire to make a difference. We have a huge range of roles you can get involved with, and not just being out in the woods. If you are an Excel wizz or have great skills in admin and behind the scenes office work, we would love to hear from you. All skills are valuable.
“I really love what GLT does, how it does it and the real outcomes for real people.”
Green Light Trust volunteer
To all our volunteers past and present: thank you!
Each year, Green Light Trust supports hundreds of people facing challenges.
Our unique work, rooted in nature, is proven to transform lives.
Through outdoor activities, skills-building, and supportive environments, we give children, young people, and adults the opportunity to overcome barriers and embrace brighter futures..
But now we need your help.
Pressures on social care, the NHS, and other essential services are at their highest.
This is making funding for organisations like ours increasingly difficult to secure.
This year, we need to raise £100k, which will allow us to provide life-changing opportunities for individuals in need.
Join us on our fundraising journey, whether it’s supporting our fundraising activities, donating time or money- every contribution takes us one step closer to supporting those who need us most.
This is an exciting fundraising opportunity for you to get involved with. Whether you do it on your own, with friends, family, colleagues or community groups, it’s a brilliant way to get creative and help give back to people who need it.
The ideas are endless, you could:
Organise a bake sale,
Plan a quiz night,
Sell handmade arts and crafts,
Compete in a sponsored race.
Sell items on Vinted eBay and other platforms,
Host a BBQ.
So get your thinking caps on!
Every £ we fundraise, will help us deliver services that support vulnerable children, young people and adults.
By donating, you’ll be directly contributing to our work with people.
As you’re reading this, you may have realised we’ve had a little makeover…
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Welcome to our new look and fabulous website!
Thanks to generous funding, we have been able to work on developing a new site that is far more accessible and easy to navigate for our users.
At Green Light Trust we understand that taking the first steps to find support can be tough. Whether you’re looking for yourself, a friend, a family member or a pupil, we wanted a platform that would be easy to navigate and help provide you with some of the answers you may be looking for. That’s why we’re incredibly happy to finally have our new website out in the world after working on it for a while to get it just right.
This process was more than a visual update — it was a chance to pause, listen, and reconnect with our purpose.
Lauren, CEO
Our Chief Executive, Lauren said: “Together, we shaped a new look and feel that captures the warmth and welcome at the heart of our work, and the fire that fuels our woodland camps.
“This process was more than a visual update — it was a chance to pause, listen, and reconnect with our purpose. We clarified our Vision: here for every person to thrive through nature, and our Mission: empowering people to create purpose and build resilience through our nature-based pathways, while protecting and regenerating the woodland spaces we call home.”
We hope you love our new look as much as we do, and we looking forward to starting this new phase of Green Light Trust together.
The days are longer, the temperatures are rising, and we are starting to see the vibrant colours of blooming flowers. There’s plenty to smile about this Spring with Green Light Trust…
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With the days getting longer and temperatures starting to creep up, we are beginning to see signs of Spring all around us.
Our woodlands are looking especially green after the chilly winter months and our participants have certainly been making the most of the sunnier days.
Since the beginning of the year, Green Light Trust has embraced change and new opportunities.
The charitable sector continues to evolve, and while there are challenges, we remain focused on what truly matters—supporting our participants and delivering our wonderful services. With positivity and purpose, we look forward to the months ahead. But first, let’s take a look at what we have been up to this year so far…
In March we co-hosted an exciting networking event with Natural England at the Food Museum in Stowmarket.
It was a brilliant day where individuals and organisations were able to share experiences in green social prescribing. The success of the day made it clear how much people benefit from utilising our green spaces to improve health and wellbeing.
Delegates were able to participate in a nature connection activity, like meditation, forest bathing, dreamcatcher making and a walled garden tour. It was a truly unique way to approach a networking event, and the discussions in the afternoon workshops highlighted the challenges we face in the social prescribing sector.
We are now in the next stages, talking with Natural England about how we can practically encourage the expansion of this much needed network in the East of England.
Participants get creative
Since January, we have seen some wonderful work from our participants who have been flexing their creative, practical and academic skills. These include the creation of some thought-provoking poetry, handmade wooden benches and planting beds, and progression in numeracy and literacy. Keep up the excellent work!
Our partners Barenburg came to visit
In March we were very pleased to welcome the Barenbrug and National Trust Oxburgh team to our woodlands for a wellbeing day. They were able to spend a full day in the outdoors, learning skills like den-building, coppicing and whitling. We hope they had a great experience and would love to see them in our camp again soon.
Looking ahead, we have some very exciting news coming your way in May…
We will be launching our new brand and website!
As times move on, it’s important we keep up too, which is why we have been working on this project for a while to have a new website and brand that shows Green Light Trust in all its glory.
But that’s not all…
We will also be launching our 2025 fundraising appeal which will have lots of fun and creative ideas to help raise money for the delivery of our programmes.
