Brits feel ‘out of touch’ with nature as many haven’t visited the countryside in months

A fifth of city dwellers feel disconnected from nature and are unable to recall the last time they saw a farm animal. Almost half of urban residents admit that their outdoor excursions are limited to trips to the shop or sports activities.

The lack of accessible green spaces in cities, with parks and recreational areas averaging two miles away, exacerbates this disconnection. This contrasts starkly with rural residents, who typically have outdoor spaces within half a mile of their homes, including woodlands and rivers.

A report commissioned by Nestle UK & Ireland, which surveyed 1000 adults split evenly between rural and urban areas, highlighted these differences in outdoor engagement.

Despite over two-thirds of adults acknowledging that time spent in nature enhances their mood and promotes relaxation, nearly a third of city dwellers haven’t visited the countryside in six months or more.

This limited exposure to nature has left 45% yearning for more natural beauty in their surroundings, with a fifth feeling alienated from the natural world.

To help reconnect city residents with nature, Nestle UK & Ireland has teamed up with First Milk, a pioneering regenerative dairy co-op, to transport East Londoners straight to the countryside by transforming a Shoreditch space into a pop-up farm for a day.

Dr Emma Keller, Nestle’s head of sustainability, commented: “We know how important the countryside is, not just for our mental wellbeing but also how much we depend on it for the food and drink we produce here.”

Dr Keller also emphasised the initiative’s aim to import a slice of bucolic Britain into the urban jungle. It serves as a sanctuary from city stress and as an educational hub highlighting their commitment to agriculture and farmers, enlightening city folks on how their morning drink or favourite snack can bolster the future of British farming.

Crafted to be an idyllic escape, the ‘Farm Drop’ experience took visitors into the pastoral tranquillity of Cumbria and Ayrshire, the home turf of the cows supplying milk for Nestle products – delivering a lush dose of nature’s best right into the capitals core.

Mark Booking, chief impact officer at First Milk, celebrated the collaborative Farm Drop and said: “We hope the Farm Drop gave visitors a sense of what rural life has to offer.”

Dr Keller stated: “Through the partnership with First Milk, we work hand-in-hand with dairy farmers, blending modern and traditional farming methods to produce millions of litres of fresh milk.

“It goes on to be used in our chocolate bars and coffee, including incentive payments for farmers to work on specific initiatives to protect and enhance the natural assets of their land.”