Samantha’s recovery journey 

My name is Samantha, and I am 39 years old. I have lived in Birmingham all my life and have always lived near to a park or green open space. I grew up in a time before mobile phones and modern technology, and so spent many hours of my childhood playing in the parks in and around the West Midlands.

In 2007 I was hospitalised and spent many months confined to a hospital bed. With the aid of a Wheelchair and Elbow Crutches I re-learned how to walk and once again was able to enjoy Birmingham’s green open spaces. 

Before the Covid-19 pandemic struck I formed a Walking Group with some of my neighbours and enjoyed visiting parks and nature trails. I found the regular activity of walking not only supported my physical rehabilitation but also improved my mental wellbeing. 

Since the outbreak and subsequent ‘lock-downs’, sadly our Walking Group came to an end. I instead looked for new green spaces within my immediate environment. That being my garden where I feed the many birds that visit – from small Bluetits and Long-Tailed Tits, a Robin, a family of Blackbirds, Magpies and Wood Pigeons to migrating Redwings who live up in the trees, and the Swifts, Bats and formation of Canada Geese who fly overhead. 

I also enjoyed walks around the local playing field during the summer lockdown of 2020, the air felt cleaner and fresher – most likely because the reduced number of cars on the surrounding roads. And I saw many more butterflies, ladybirds and bees fluttering around than usual. 

A neighbour shared with me, how on one winter’s evening, she saw fox cubs on the field playing in the snow.