Help needed with ideas for grant application, (potentially 100k on offer)

[Stanleythecat]

If you had 100k to spend on capital works with the funding backed from a health/mental health agenda what would you spend it on?

A source of potential funding has arisen with a very short window and we think it would be an absolute crime not to have a stab at it. With a rediculous turn around (monday!!!) I was wondering if anyone could offer any inspirational thoughts to give us something to go on.

Would love green woodworking/woodland crafts/ primitive skills to be at the centre of what we do but is it possible!? The potential funding is 100% and has to be used for capital works.

Would really, really appreciate your thoughts

Thanks in advance.

Leo

ps have posted this on the bodgers forum too so sorry you read it twice!

 

[Salix]

An out door, mobile "green living" project. Mini bus, tents, equipment etc taking people out into the countryside to learn bushcraft, green woodworking skills, team building, or even just experiencing the outdoors, nature and ones own potential. You would need revenue funding to staff it, unless the tutors could be payed through the capital as one off single projects......i dont know, what funding stream is it ?
Something very similiar to Forest schools, but for health/mental health, there are proven links to peoples ability to recover from depression by experiencing outdoors, nature and natural experiences.

Mark

 

[Hugo]

I agree with Salix, taking people out to the country to learn bushcraft and green
Woodworking skills, maybe link up with another static centre, and share amenities. Monday is a very tight deadline.
If you get it can I come. Good luck.

 

[leaf man]

sensory stimulation for disabled folk, through sound ie bird calls, touch, smells...
sorry, i just brain farted. i did have more......

 

[Man of Tanith]

check out this site http://wild-tracking.blogspot.com/ although it leans toward work with addicts the ideas could more than likely be relevant to mental health too.
The writer is a member of this site goes by the name of pathfinder. might be an idea to pm him?
though anything outdoorsy can be very beneficial for mental health issues(speaking from personal experience)
Sam

 

[Kroozin]

Give some money to me to plant a forest to stop people complain about the noise from the race track.
Or just plant a forest, get lots of people to help. then camp there and try to bring wildlife to that area.

 

[phill_ue]

How about that forest? It's not a bad idea! You secure the grant and find land to re-wild, then your patients/clients (not sure what you call them!) can plant them. I think it is a worthwhile project that could be great fun and also gets people working together.

 

[forestwalker]

You could obtain a chunk of land, build a base camp (logged lean-tos, simple cabins, fireplaces with roof over them, large tipis for gatherings, etc) and do "Green Therapy" for inner city kids, schoolclasses, out-patients, etc. Retreats for the overworked?

My idea is something with no electric power (woodstoves for cooking, lanterns for light, earthcellar for the food, etc), no noise, plenty of places to sit and watch the water flow, listen to the flowers and smell the birds, some activities (pitcooking fish, basket-weaving in the sun, whatever) and time to relax.

 

[Glen]

A chunk of land nearby with willow, hazel and birch growing on it.

That way they can have daytrips out at a woodland retreat ( I'm guessing overnights would be ruled out ) just relaxing or gathering materials to take back and do various craft projects with.

As far as the application goes I think you'll have more luck getting it through with say basketry than carving, picnicing rather than pitcooking. The formers don't rule out the latters but they will be seen as lower risk activities.

 

[tobes01]

Agreed, apply to purchase a chunk of woodland and place it into trust. In fact, the donating organisation could own it initially, so their money's safe. Then establish community activities there, as per the ideas above.

 

[FreddyFish]

You could obtain a chunk of land, build a base camp (logged lean-tos, simple cabins, fireplaces with roof over them, large tipis for gatherings, etc) and do "Green Therapy" for inner city kids, schoolclasses, out-patients, etc. Retreats for the overworked?

My idea is something with no electric power (woodstoves for cooking, lanterns for light, earthcellar for the food, etc), no noise, plenty of places to sit and watch the water flow, listen to the flowers and smell the birds, some activities (pitcooking fish, basket-weaving in the sun, whatever) and time to relax.

Sounds like heaven...

 

[forestwalker]

Sounds like heaven...

I had a vision of log-cabin style shelters or cabins, with sod roofs (properly built so it is waterproof), perhaps a larger cabin/long-house as meeting space/cafeteria in bad weather, a "handmade" rough style to everything, but with comfortable beds (etc) if cabins. A bit like a cross between Japanese style and Canadian wilderness cabin. Build a cookhouse for the staff with woodstoves, etc, make sure to be able to serve simple but good food. Dry toilets of high quality (modern urine separating ones using a solar panel to drive the fan; no smell, environmentally sound).

For the patients it would be a place to get away from the urban stressfull environment, for inner city kids a contrast to their normal environment and for a school class it would be a place for "wholesome outdoor activities and adventures with experienced instructors". As an extra you could sell "retreats" to excecutives in between the primary customers (if you went for cabins).

 

[Sleepy Weasel]

Give some to your local mountain rescue!

 

[Stanleythecat]

Thanks everybody, some really good ideas there.

Regards

Leo