Finding calm in Nunhead Cemetery

Residents, clients and staff from the Garden Day Programme and Linden Grove abstinence support hostel joined Rose from Ardu Wellbeing for a mindfulness walk through Nunhead Cemetery on Friday 10 October, World Mental Health Day.

Part woodland, part history, Nunhead Cemetery is one of London’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ Victorian burial grounds and just a short walk from several Kairos properties.  Despite being so close, several members of the group had never visited before, so this walk was a great opportunity to explore a special part of the local area.

Along the route, Rose led short mindfulness exercises, from mindful breathing and sensory focus (the ‘5-4-3-2-1’ technique) to a circle activity that had everyone pick a natural object such as a leaf, twig or stone from a bag and speak about what they noticed, both in it and in themselves, before passing it on.  This was a simple but much appreciated activity that gave everyone a moment to reflect and connect.

We are grateful to Rose, @ardu_wellbeing, for leading the session and to Catrin Podgorski and the team for making it possible.  We are delighted to have taken part and look forward to building on this collaboration in the months ahead.

• This walk was part of a project by Ardu Wellbeing with Southwark Council and the Friends of Nunhead Cemetery, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the restoration of Nunhead Cemetery’s old East Lodge.