Dr William Bird

Strategic Health Advisor, Natural England

Maximising the health benefits of sensory-rich farm visits

Dr William Bird is the strategic health advisor for Natural England leading the health programme to develop the natural environment as a major health resource. He chairs the 'Outdoor Health Forum' that unites all major UK environment organisations to influence health professionals to use the natural environment for prevention and treatment.

While as a GP in South Oxfordshire he set up 'Health Walks' and the 'Green Gym' in the late 1990s which are now throughout the UK using the natural environment to increase physical activity and wellbeing. He still works part-time as a GP in Reading. He has published several papers related to physical activity and co-authored a book, 'Walking for Health' and published two reports, 'Natural Fit' and 'Natural Thinking' that have reviewed the evidence linking the natural environment with physical activity and mental health respectively.

He founded the company 'Intelligent Health', getting more people active outdoors. He has recently become the Clinical Director of the Environment and Human Health Unit at the Peninsular Medical School.

Download Dr Bird's presentation here (2.5Mb PDF document)

Download Dr Bird's presentation with notes here (6Mb PowerPoint file)