The Green Health Walk is Highly Commended at the Biodiversity Challenge Awards 2025
We are pleased to announce that the Green Health Walk, based at our Prestwich site, was awarded highly commended in the Biodiversity Challenge Awards 2025!
The Green Health Walk, developed in partnership with Sow the City, was highly commended in the Placemaking for Nature Award, Mixed Land Use and Ownership category.
The Green Health Walk is a nature-based therapeutic walking route, designed to encourage staff, service users and visitors to enjoy the site grounds, connect with nature, and promote the physical and mental health benefits of green spaces.
Volunteers, including patients and community members, play an active role in maintaining and developing the Walk, fostering social connection and therapeutic activities to support recovery journeys.
The Walk consists of a 20-minute stroll through the hospital grounds, and includes several ‘stations’, including a heritage orchard, herb bed, natural sculpture, bird and bat habitat boxes, and native woodland. They help to improve the local environment while providing sites of interest to encourage people to stretch their legs and engage with the natural world.
The Biodiversity Challenge Awards, hosted by CIRIA and the BIG Biodiversity Interest Group, celebrate outstanding efforts to embed biodiversity into the built environment. This year’s awards attracted a wide range of entries from across the UK, showcasing projects that go beyond compliance to deliver meaningful benefits for nature and people.
Alongside being highly commended in the Placemaking for Nature Award, Mixed Land Use and Ownership category, the Green Health Walk was also shortlisted in the Placemaking for Nature Award: Multi-property category, demonstrating the impact of this pioneering and inspiring approach to bringing nature and people together.
The Green Health Walk featured in greener healthcare photography exhibition “Care for the future: delivering the world's first net zero health service" at COP 26.
Rob Addison, Head of Estates at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) said:
“We are thrilled that the Green Health Walk has been highly commended at these prestigious, national awards. We’ve been fortunate enough to be able to continue developing the walk since it was first launched in 2020. In 2021, we were honoured to represent the NHS at the COP26 – the world’s largest climate action event - where we unveiled a photography exhibition featuring the walk.
“Since then, it really has gone from strength to strength. With our fantastic partners, Sow the City, and a dedicated bunch of volunteers, it is bigger, better and more diverse than ever. Staff and patients alike tell us how much they value the green space, and we are proud to be doing our part to support a healthy ecosystem.”
Photos by Pam Womak
Jon Ross, Chief Executive at Sow the City said:
“We’re delighted that the Green Health Walk at the Prestwich site has been highly commended in the CIRIA Biodiversity Challenge Awards. This project shows how easily and effectively nature can be incorporated in healthcare settings.
“Working alongside Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, we’ve created a walking route that not only enhances local biodiversity but also supports the wellbeing of staff, service users, and visitors.
“The seven ‘stations’, including the heritage orchard, to the woodland and wildlife habitats, encourage people to explore, connect with nature, and experience the proven mental and physical health benefits it brings. We’re grateful to CIRIA for recognising the impact of this work.”
Green Health Walk map
You can read more about the Green Heath Walk, and download the map, here.
You can read past news updates about the Green Health Walk here.
You can read more about the Biodiversity Challenge Awards, and view all winners and shortlisters here.
