Nature Connection Sessions Complete with Linkes Community Project

We have completed our latest round of Nature Connection sessions for the MCAS project, working alongside five families from the Linkes Community Project, with a peak of 22 participants across the sessions.

Over four sessions, families visited Knightswood Park and Dawsholm Park Local Nature Reserve before a joint trip to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. The Scottish weather was kind to us throughout, and with our nature packs in hand, families shared picnics outdoors, identified local species, made story sticks, and learned about local wildlife.

Running sessions for families with children of all ages brings fantastic energy, and we were supported every step of the way by Linkes staff and support workers, without whom these trips would not have been possible.

Our first outing to Knightswood Park gave families a chance to slow down and look closely at trees and plants they passed every day, through species surveys and observation games. For some, these simple activities sparked personal connections to home. As one participant reflected while looking at the trees:

"This reminds me of my mother in Afghanistan connecting one type of fruit tree onto another. She used to grow lots of fruit."

Another, who had lived nearby for ten years, told us:

"I've been in Scotland and coming to this park for 10 years and I never knew these were cherry trees."

At Dawsholm Park, families explored the woodland paths, searched for animal homes, and made story sticks from items gathered along the way. Several parents told us that despite living close by, they had never visited the reserve before, and said they planned to come back with their families. One child described Dawsholm as "not a park" at the start of the session because it had no play park. By the end she had changed her mind, and said she liked "being in the trees." Another summed the afternoon up more simply:

"It doesn't feel like we are in the city, but like we are in a jungle."

Smelling wild honeysuckle and roses growing near the park entrance led to conversations about how certain scents reminded the children of family members' perfume. Parents shared some of their own discoveries too. One told us she'd enjoyed learning about dock plants and how they can help with nettle stings, and was surprised by how wide tree roots grow.

The block finished with a trip to Balmaha at Loch Lomond. The group explored the visitor centre, walked through the Tom Weir garden to Balmaha Pier and up to the viewpoint, and gathered for activities in the woodland at the foot of Conic Hill. Children described the session as "fun" and "surprising." In the indoor classroom space at the Balmaha Visitor Centre, some parents noted how the setup recalled outdoor cooking spaces in Sudan, which led to warm conversations about gathering and cooking outside with family.

These sessions reinforce how important local, accessible greenspaces are for family wellbeing and community connection. A huge thank you to the families from Linkes and the support staff who made this block such a joy to run. We look forward to continuing the Nature Connection Programme and welcoming more community groups into Scotland's wild spaces in the months ahead.