Furloughedforager

02/07/2026

Highams Park Mental Health Mates is turning 5! 👣🎉❤️

Over 5 years ago, during COVID, I was furloughed for most of 2020 and I was struggling heavily with my mental health. I started walking, posting about foraging on Instagram, and the algorithm led me to Bryony Gordon’s national charity, Mental Health Mates.

Although the national organisation sadly closed this April after 10 amazing years, Bryony gladly gave us walk leaders her blessing to keep the legacy alive.

It took me 6 months of recovery back then to build the confidence to become a walk leader. Today, what started as my personal lifeline has grown into an incredible local community—all thanks to you.

Come celebrate our 5th Anniversary Walk!

📅 When: Sunday 12th July at 2:00pm

📍 Where: Highams Park Station (Main entrance on The Avenue)

Whether you’ve walked with us before or are joining for the very first time, come along to walk, talk, and connect in a friendly, non-judgemental space.

Hope to see you there! 🙏✊❤️
Steve

Community Foraging MentalHealthSupport

15/05/2026

NAKBA 78
On Nakba Day, the key symbolises the right of return for Palestinian refugees displaced during the 1948 Nakba (“catastrophe”). It represents the physical keys kept by families to their homes in what became Israel, embodying lasting hope, memory, and resistance against the loss of their lands.✊🏼🇵🇸
̇ne

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! 🎉 Wishing everyone in this wonderful foraging community the very best for the year ahead.

For me, 2026 is about aligning with those who truly share my values. I’ll be more mindful about who I follow and engage with—not just liking a beautifully presented post without understanding the person behind it.

This comes after a hard lesson last year: I discovered that someone I followed for their foraging content holds views I find deeply offensive. When I questioned a post about a far-right demo, they blocked me rather than engaging. That’s their choice, but it was a wake-up call.
It’s unsettling when a polished online persona masks values that clash with what they claim to stand for.
Even more surprising was seeing people in my network liking and following this person. You might want to check if their views align with yours too.

Lesson learned—I won’t make that mistake again.
Once again, wishing you all a happy, healthy, and values-aligned 2026. 🙏🏼

22/10/2025

Hi everyone, I’ve now over half way into my virtual Stride for Gaza in aid of Medical Aid for Palestinians. Reaching the site of Nasser Hospital, Khan Yunis. It’s been a cornerstone of healthcare for the people of Khan Yunis since it first opened its doors in 1960. For decades, it served as a lifeline for thousands, a place where families sought care, hope, and healing.

Since October 2023, Nasser Hospital has faced repeated attacks and unimaginable strain. Despite severe shortages and immense danger, its dedicated staff continue working, using whatever resources remain to save lives and provide critical care to those most in need.

“Basic items like bandages, syringes, and surgical gloves are in short supply, forcing healthcare workers to make difficult decisions about how to allocate limited resources.”

If you can, please donate so MAP can continue their vital work in Gaza.
Link below will take you directly to my fundraising page 🙏🏼
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

https://medicalaidforpalestinians.enthuse.com/pf/stephen-woolnough-070b7/post/18935942

Halfway there, Stephen Woolnough has reached 50% of the activity target!

07/10/2025

Starting tomorrow, the 8th October, I am striding for Gaza in aid of Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP).

I will be completing 98km in 23 days and virtually following the displacement journey of one of MAP's Palestinian colleagues in Gaza. I am taking part to serve as a powerful reminder to keep doing my part to help Palestinians.

Please donate to my page and help me support MAP as they remain for the Palestinian people - no matter what. You can track my progress via the map on my page. Thank you! 🙏🏼

Click here to donate and to track my virtual journey across Gaza. 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
https://medicalaidforpalestinians.enthuse.com/pf/stephen-woolnough-070b7/post/18026087



Medical Aid for Palestinians

Stephen Woolnough has launched a fundraising campaign, show your support with a donation!

30/09/2025

Hi All 👋

Steve here from Mental Health Mates Highams Park,
the peer support walk & talk group where likeminded people can come together to connect and share, to talk about mental health, or anything else, without fear of judgement.

The walks are free, are open to everyone, no referral or sign-up required. There is no need to book ,please just turn up on the day.

Open to everyone, means just that, we all have mental health, and everyone is somewhere on the Mental Health Continuum.

The Mental Health Continuum is a model that shows mental health exists on a spectrum, ranging from thriving to struggling or crisis, not as an all-or-nothing state of having a diagnosis or not. It recognizes that mental health is fluid, can change over time due to many factors (like work, home life, or bereavement), and that people can move between different states of wellbeing.

I’ve experienced ill mental health, with depression and anxiety and walking really helped me. That’s why I still walk and lead this group. At this present time I’d say my mental health is thriving with only very mild symptoms.

Everyone is somewhere on the Mental Health Continuum, where would you place yourself? Wherever you are, you are so welcome to join us. 🙏🏼

Also, I’m a Mental Health First Aider and have received Mental Health and Walk Leader Training with Mental Health Mates. Our walks are also covered by Public Liability insurance.

Please feel free to reach out to me beforehand if you have any queries. I look forward to seeing you soon. ✊🏼

25/09/2025

My evening woodland walk turned up more fascinating fungi! Get to know the amazing Birch Polypore (Fomitopsis Betulina), with its impressive record of medicinal uses spanning centuries, including treatments for immunity, wounds, and parasites. Notably, Birch Polypore was discovered on Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old mummy, who probably used it to treat his parasites!