Ways to Wellbeing
@ Railway Gardens

Railway Gardens is a calm and welcoming place to spend time in nature and find activities and support for your wellbeing.

Weekly Wellbeing Cafe

Our Wellbeing Cafe is a friendly, welcoming space to connect with others, share wellbeing tips and ideas and try out some mindful activities.

From board games to baking and breathing exercises to simply relaxing with tea, chat, and a jigsaw, Wellbeing Cafe is a supportive space to spend time with others and boost your mood.  

The group meets every Wednesday, from 1pm till 3pm, with a different weekly activity starting around 1:30pm.  

We welcome hearing from anyone who can offer to lead an activity for wellbeing cafe – from cookery to crafting, movement to mindfulness or anything else you think might be suitable – please get in touch! 

Good to know before you come
  • The Wellbeing Cafe is free. 
  • Free hot drinks and biscuits are provided.
  • You can stay for as little or as much of the session as you like, and you don’t have to take part in an activities that you don’t want to try. 
  • Our site and buildings are accessible with an accessible toilet and baby changing. 
  • We welcome support workers bringing people along, but we do ask that you stay for at least the first session, and if the person your support has specific needs that we could help accommodate, please contact us in advance. 
  • We do ask everyone taking part ot follow a simple code of conduct, developed by participants, to ensure everyone feels safe and heard. We’ll share this at your first session. This includes asking everyone to have their phone away and on silent unless they are expecting an urgent call. 

Wellbeing Resources

We've created some free resources that anyone can use to connect with nature and boost their wellbeing while visiting the gardens - or any other green space.

If you or someone you support are looking to spend more time in nature, why not pay us a visit? Railway Gardens is calm and welcoming with plenty of places to sit and enjoy the plants and wildlife of the gardens. Please click here for our opening times. 

We’ve put together a booklet full of simple activities and prompts designed to help you slow down, notice the nature around you, and find moments of calm and focus. You can view it below, and print it if you wish, but we have printed copies available to borrow from the Welcome Cabin at Railway Gardens. 

You are also welcome to borrow drawing materials, balancing stones, and magnifying glasses to help you explore the gardens. 

Good to know before you come
  • Check our programme for our opening times.
  • There is wheelchair accessible plastic grid pathing connecting different areas of the site. There are some areas of gravel in between which some people may find hard to navigate by wheelchair or motor scooter. 
  • We have covered seating areas to shelter from wet weather. 
  • We have an accessible toilet with baby changing. 
  • The cafe is usually open Tuesday – Thursday and Saturday mornings. 
  • We are directly alongside the railway line, so there is some noise from trains. 

Other wellbeing ideas

We've got lots more to explore! Here are our top suggestions for making the most of Railway Gardens for caring for your physical and mental health.
  • Try out goodShed. goodShed is a friendly group that meets weekly for tea, chat, and DIY projects. They are inspired by the Mens’ Sheds movement, but are open to all. The group is free and meets every Tuesday, 2 – 4pm and Thursday, 10am – 12pm. Pop to the Welcome Cabin when you arrive if you’re not sure where to go. 
  • Watch the world go by. You are always welcome, when we’re open, to simply sit, relax, and enjoy the space. Some people bring a book to read, others enjoy watching the bees and butterflies or seeing the trains go by. We have lots of seating in sunny spots. 
  • Volunteer with us. It’s a great way to make new friends and we’ve got lots of casual and regular roles to choose from, so you can find something that works for you. Love chatting to people? Join our Meet and Greet team! 
  • Book a massage with Claudia. Based on site, Claudia offers a range of holistic treatments  for women and members of the LGBTQ+ community in a safe and cosy space – the Green Squirrel team are big fans! 
  • Come to an event. We have a community programme packed with exciting events, from cookery sessions and suppers to clothes swaps and music. You can see what’s on here. 
  • Join the Growing Group. Gardening can be extremely calming and mood boosting; once a month we hold a Gardening Club led by our friendly community gardener Helen who will help you find a task that feels right for you. No experience needed, just come along! Check the programme for upcoming Saturday dates. 

Time in Nature at Railway Gardens

You can read our ‘Time in Nature’ booklet below or borrow physical copies of the activity guides from the Welcome Cabin when you visit. Click the square icon to make it full screen and click the arrow icons at the bottom of each page to turn the pages.


This booklet was created with the support of the Wellbeing Cafe members and the Hubbub Community Nature Network.