FORAGING TRIP

SOLA Arts provides free recreational and developmental programmes for refugees and people who are isolated or living with mental health difficulties wanting to explore opportunities in life and through this  integrate more into and contribute to society. SOLA’s activities come in different forms, including educational such as English language courses and skills up  to develop creative talents. As well as psychosocial and creative nature based  programmes.  

Recently, an educational and fun trip took place at forage at Delamere Forest, with the aim of introducing participants to wildlife and how to benefit from it in terms of food and health. The workshop leader, Sam Webster and expert forager , was able to provide a full and integrated explanation about the types of fruit and wild herbs and their health benefits, especially mushrooms , and how to identify them. In addition, people learnt about  some of the poisonous species and their dangers, as well as how to identify them easily. Sam mentioned that there are around 13,000 different types of mushroom in the United Kingdom, whilst only about 1% of them are edible.

Participants were from different nationalities and backgrounds such as Afghanistan, El Salvador, Iran, Eritrea, UK and Syria. People readily shared reflections about the foraging experience , such as Mohammad who said: “I very music enjoyed the day and recommend it because it was informative, and I have learned a lot. I enjoyed the meal with the group and I have tried pine tea for first time; it was really amazing.”

Rosie said: “The time was very very beautiful, very very organised and an incredible experience. The coexistence with people from different countries and the affection that the SOLA Arts staff has to make everyone feel good. We foraged different types of edible mushrooms and seeds.”

Melese said: “ It was very beautiful, especially the care for the forest is special in terms of its cleanliness. Our trip was good and pleasant and the place we arrived  at was unique and attractive.”

He added: “I haven’t eaten any fruits grown in a while. I found that natural fruits are sweeter, more flavourful and contain natural proteins.”. He also suggested that there’s a forest nearby his house and that one day the SOLA Arts community should visit the forest to take pictures and to care of it.

Mohammad A who was also on the trip said, “have learnt in this trip about mushrooms and different kinds of herbs…I think that all the kinds of fruit and the vegetables were tasty and edible”. He added “ It was a pleasure to be a part of this group”. His advice for everyone is to protect the environment for the future generations.

Reflecting on  the importance of this trip, Alix Sargeant who is SOLA’s Arts Coordinator and Mentor says, “The activities offered by SOLA create a sense of  community and  allow people to integrate within the local area. They bring different cultures and backgrounds together to learn , explore new skills, and have fun”.

Adele Spiers Managing Director & Senior Art Therapist notes about  the psychological role played by these types of environmental activities at SOLA, “The benefits and positive impact of being outdoors and connecting with others are immeasurable. Activities like these not only validate a sense of belonging and self-esteem, they also provide an opportunity for people to share and show their abilities, offer a neutral space for shared experience to find a positive mental space and improve self-value”.

Every year, SOLA Arts organises many integration activities aiming to explore the countryside and improve the linguistic and  the social skills of its participants. This is just one example of a dynamic and holistic programme.