Waymaking – Apr-Nov 2025
An OUTSIDE wellbeing project
Waymaking is a combined movement, arts and nature-based intervention that involves walking, artmaking and nature observation in wild public spaces.
Waymaking can be described as a creative green prescription that has the potential to make a significant impact on people’s physical and mental health, and that creates belonging to landscape and sense of community.
Waymaking runs between April and October, and people can access up to 8 sessions comprising of a welcome to the programme, six meet ups, and one celebration in the autumn.
Sessions run for around two hours, outdoors.
You can access the programme either through:
- Community referral, e.g. from an existing community group, social prescribers or GP where there are likely to be multiple health inequalities.
- Self-referral, e.g. for people who are self-motivated to join and where there are less likely to be multiple barriers to access.
If you would like to find out more contact Waymaking directly via waymaking@outsidearts.org or call 07801 655272 for a conversation about how to join one of our programmes.
Biddulph Grange Country Park with Eleanor Hooper
Come for a short and gentle walk full of listening, looking and exploring the landscape of Biddulph Grange Country Park. This is a special chance to join a group walk once a month led by sound and voice artist, and lover of nature, Eleanor Hooper.
Dates: 23 April, 21 May, 25 June, 23 July, 20 August, 17 September
Times: 10am-12pm (self-referral), 1.30pm-3.30pm (community referral)
Meeting point: The Hideaway Cafe, Biddulph Grange Country Park, Grange Road, Biddulph ST8 7TZ
If you are interested in learning whether this is something you, or a group you coordinate, can benefit from, contact: waymaking@outsidearts.org
Supported by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
Stockton Brook Water Works with Anthony Hammond
Come for a short and gentle walk with artist, sculptor and craftsman Anthony Hammond at Stockton Brook Waterworks.
Dates: 21 May, 11 June, 9 July, 10 September, 8 October
Times: 10am-12pm (alternative provision group), 1.30-3.30pm (self-referral)
Meeting point: Pumping House, Leek New Rd, Stockton Brook, Stoke-on-Trent ST9 9NU
If you are interested in learning whether this is something you, or a group you coordinate, can benefit from, contact: waymaking@outsidearts.org
Dimmingsdale with James Brunt
James Brunt is a land artist who works with parts found in the natural world creating responses to the environment. Come and take part in creating land art suitable for the landscape around Dimmingsdale.
Working across ages, family units and bringing the group together through creative practice, this is a session for strengthening relationships, building community across age groups and developing creative practice outdoors. People will be using materials from the natural world to create landscape art, the session is also suitable for people who enjoy documenting the processes of creation, e.g. through photography or writing.
Dates: 20 May, 17 June, 22 July, 19 August, 23 September, 21 October
Times: 10am-12pm (self-referral*), 1.30-3.30pm (community / social prescriber referral)
Meeting point: Dimmingsdale car park, Red Road, Alton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 4BU
If you are interested in learning whether this is something you, or a group you coordinate, can benefit from, contact: waymaking@outsidearts.org
* All are welcome to this session to which we particularly encourage parents / carers of young people not in full time, mainstream education. Guide age 7 – 16 years upwards and children must be accompanied by their parent / carer for the whole session.
Listeningscape at Stockton Brook Waterworks with Jason Singh
Jason Singh, sound artist, along with the main 2025 Waymaking groups will be co-creating a soundscape from Stockton Brook Waterworks.
The venue is important, having been a home for Waymaking this year with almost all groups who have joined various sessions spending time at Stockton Brook to build, weave, play and sing.
Increasingly people have become curious about this location with questions about the building, industrial heritage, and natural world. It feels right to close this year with a collaborative piece of work that encourages investigation and listening!
Dates/Times:
- Thurs 6 November, 1 – 3pm: for Alternative Provision.
- Fri 7th November, 1 – 3pm: for adult Waymaking participants.
- Mon 10th November, 1 – 3pm: for home educators. BOOK HERE.
- Tues 11th November, 11 – 1pm: Sharing session for all groups.
Meeting point: Pumping House, Leek New Rd, Stockton Brook, Stoke-on-Trent ST9 9NU
Following each session, Jason will process the recordings and create tracks for each group.
If you are interested in learning whether this is something you, or a group you coordinate, can benefit from, contact: waymaking@outsidearts.org
