The Budding Together project has been running at Camley Street Natural Park since 2006. Originally funded in the first two years by Capital Volunteering, a pan England volunteering organisation, it has more recently been funded through the Camden Primary Care Trust. The project has been hugely successful so far, with many volunteers saying they've felt their sense of well-being increase after spending time in this green oasis.

Budding Together is an important project for people experiencing mental health problems in and around the borough of Camden.  It's a unique chance for them to get up close to nature.

People from all walks of life can come together in a supportive atmosphere and get involved with practical conservation here at Camley Street Natural Park and other local nature reserves. We offer the chance to be in a naturally therapeutic environment, to learn new skills, make new friends, to help your local environment and yourself.

On the project participants learn more about our local wildlife, as well as doing more hands on things like making habitat boxes for birds, bats and bugs. We enjoy regular healthy walks in Hampstead, where we get some fresh air and the chance to do a bit of bird-watching.

We also enjoy the scent of our fragrant wildflowers, spotting our growing range of butterflies in summer. We annually collect seeds from wildflowers here to sow in early spring, helping to improve Camden’s biodiversity, nurturing these tender plants to be replanted and sold to visitors.

No experience of working outdoors is necessary, as training is given.