The mental and physical health benefits of exposure to natural environments are well documented. However, it is unclear what prevents people, particularly those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, from visiting and benefiting from nearby green spaces. Furthermore, a detailed understanding of the interaction between psychological and physiological responses to nature exposure, and how this may vary with seasonality remains absent. This project explores these questions with residents of Beaumont Leys, a large and diverse Leicester ward where health outcomes are poorer than the city average and where demand for affordable, non-clinical forms of mental health support is high. Just a short distance away, Bradgate Park offers open spaces, woodland and historic landscapes. This site was recently designated a National Nature Reserve because of its internationally significant geology, and yet little is known about whether and how residents use it, what barriers influence access and how seasonal changes shape experience. 
 This PhD project addresses current knowledge limitations by combining novel methods to capture how stress and relaxation fluctuate during park walks across the seasons. Participants will take part in GPS-tracked walking interviews in Bradgate Park while wearing lightweight sensors that record automatic physiological responses (e.g., heart rate). This approach generates a layered account: physiological signals of stress and recovery set alongside lived narratives, sensory descriptions, and seasonal reflections.  
 Citizen science is embedded throughout: residents will co-develop research avenues, help pilot tools, and take part in interpretation workshops to make sense of patterns in locally meaningful ways. Indeed, the methodological innovation of the project will provide a novel insight into how nature-based interventions can be designed to reduce health inequalities and possibly strengthen community wellbeing, whilst also contributing further to the discourse on ‘Go-Alongs’. The findings will support local initiatives and guide practical interventions, such as improving accessibility and safety, and developing community-led programmes that encourage participation.  
This project has been co-created with and is supported by researchers from the University of Leicester, De ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ University, and partners at Charnwood Forest Geopark. The successful candidate for this project will be enrolled at The University of Leicester. 
Project Aims
The overall aims of the project are:   
- To examine community perceptions of access and identify social, cultural and practical barriers that limit engagement.   
- To explore embodied and seasonal experiences of Bradgate Park through qualitative, spatial and physiological methods . 
- To co-produce recommendations with residents and local organisations on how access to Bradgate Park can be sustained and enhanced. 
Estimated thesis submission: