People

Dr Rachel Bragg

Visiting Fellow
School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences
Dr Rachel Bragg

Profile

Biography

Dr Rachel Bragg, Care Farming Development Manager at Social Farms & Gardens and Visiting Fellow, University of Essex. Dr Rachel Bragg spent 17 years as a researcher at the University of Essex and remains a Visiting Fellow in the Green Exercise Research Group, researching the relationship between nature, health and mental wellbeing. Rachel is considered an expert in evaluating nature based green care interventions, has been actively involved in the development of the UK care farming sector for over 15 years and is a passionate advocate of green care – ‘nature-based treatment interventions for people with a defined need’. In 2015, Rachel moved to Care Farming UK (now Social farms & Gardens), which supports care farms, city farms and community gardens all over the UK. Through the Growing Care Farming project, SF&G promotes care farming and provides supporting services to the 250 care farms in the UK.

Qualifications

  • PhD Environmental Sciences (PT) : Nature-based interventions for mental wellbeing and sustainable behaviour: The potential for green care in the UK University of Essex, (2014)

  • MEnv Masters in Environment, Science & Society University of Essex, (1998)

  • Bsc (Hons) Geography & Geology College of St Paul and St Mary (University of Bristol), (1990)

Appointments

University of Essex

  • Visiting Fellow, School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex (30/9/2015 - present)

Research and professional activities

Research interests

Green Care

Green care - nature based interventions for a range of individuals with a defined need - commissioned referrals from health care, social care or special education

Open to supervise

Teaching and supervision

Previous supervision

Adekunle Ayodeji Dosumu
Adekunle Ayodeji Dosumu
Thesis title: The Environmental Impacts and Wellbeing Benefits of Sport: Assessing Spectator and Participant Dominated Sports in England
Degree subject: Environmental Sciences
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 14/4/2016

Publications

Journal articles (29)

Elsey, H., Bragg, R., Elings, M., Brennan, C., Farragher, T., Tubeuf, S., Gold, R., Shickle, D., Wickramasekera, N., Richardson, Z., Cade, J. and Murray, J., Impact and cost-effectiveness of care farms on health and well-being of offenders on probation: a pilot study. Public Health Research. 6 (3), 1-190

Wood, C., Morton, G., Rossiter, K., Baumber, B. and Bragg, R., (2024). A qualitative study of the barriers to commissioning social and therapeutic horticulture in mental health care. BMC Public Health. 24 (1), 1197-

Connor, H. and Bragg, R., (2024). Ian Peter Hine. BMJ. 384, q694-q694

Rogerson, M., Colbeck, I., Bragg, R., Dosumu, A. and Griffin, M., (2020). Affective Outcomes of Group versus Lone Green Exercise Participation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17 (2), 624-624

Hughes, J., Rogerson, M., Barton, J. and Bragg, R., (2019). Age and connection to nature: when is engagement critical?. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 17 (5), 265-269

Richardson, M., Hunt, A., Hinds, J., Bragg, R., Fido, D., Petronzi, D., Barbett, L., Clitherow, T. and White, M., (2019). A Measure of Nature Connectedness for Children and Adults: Validation, Performance, and Insights. Sustainability. 11 (12), 3250-3250

Murray, J., Wickramasekera, N., Elings, M., Bragg, R., Brennan, C., Richardson, Z., Wright, J., Llorente, MG., Cade, J., Shickle, D., Tubeuf, S. and Elsey, H., (2019). The impact of care farms on quality of life, depression and anxiety among different population groups: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 15 (4), e1061-

Elsey, H., Farragher, T., Tubeuf, S., Bragg, R., Elings, M., Brennan, C., Gold, R., Shickle, D., Wickramasekera, N., Richardson, Z., Cade, J. and Murray, J., (2018). Assessing the impact of care farms on quality of life and offending: a pilot study among probation service users in England. BMJ Open. 8 (3), e019296-e019296

Harle, C., (2018). Green Exercise: Linking Nature, Health and Wellbeing Edited by Jo Barton, Rachel Bragg, Carly Wood, and Jules N. Pretty New York, Routledge, 2016. Australian Journal of Environmental Education. 34 (3), 294-296

Dosumu, A., Colbeck, I. and Bragg, R., (2017). Greenhouse gas emissions as a result of spectators travelling to football in England. Scientific Reports. 7 (1), 6986-

Pretty, J., Barton, J., Pervez Bharucha, Z., Bragg, R., Pencheon, D., Wood, C. and Depledge, MH., (2016). Improving health and well-being independently of GDP: Dividends of greener and prosocial economies. International Journal of Environmental Health Research. 26 (1), 11-36

Barton, J., Bragg, R., Pretty, J., Roberts, J. and Wood, C., (2016). The Wilderness Expedition. Journal of Experiential Education. 39 (1), 59-72

Elsey, H., Murray, J. and Bragg, R., (2016). Green fingers and clear minds: prescribing ‘care farming’ for mental illness. British Journal of General Practice. 66 (643), 99-100

Elsey, H., Bragg, R., Elings, M., Cade, JE., Brennan, C., Farragher, T., Tubeuf, S., Gold, R., Shickle, D., Wickramasekera, N., Richardson, Z. and Murray, J., (2014). Understanding the impacts of care farms on health and well-being of disadvantaged populations: a protocol of the Evaluating Community Orders (ECO) pilot study. BMJ Open. 4 (10), e006536-e006536

Dosumu, A., Colbeck, I. and Bragg, R., (2014). Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Contributions Made by Football Clubs in England. Atmospheric and Climate Sciences. 04 (04), 642-652

Elsey, H., Bragg, R., Brennan, C., Elings, M., Murray, J., Richardson, Z., Wickramasekera, N., Hucklesbury, A. and Cade, J., (2014). PROTOCOL: The impact of care farms on quality of life among different population groups: protocol for a systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 10 (1), 1-61

Haubenhofer, DK., Elings, M., Hassink, J. and Hine, RE., (2010). The Development of Green Care in Western European Countries. EXPLORE. 6 (2), 106-111

Barton, J., Hine, R. and Pretty, J., (2009). The health benefits of walking in greenspaces of high natural and heritage value. Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences. 6 (4), 261-278

Pretty, J., Smith, G., Goulding, KWT., Groves, SJ., Henderson, I., Hine, RE., King, V., van Oostrum, J., Pendlington, DJ., Vis, JK. and Walter, C., (2008). Multi-year assessment of Unilever's progress towards agricultural sustainability I: indicators, methodology and pilot farm results. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability. 6 (1), 37-62

Pretty, J., Smith, G., Goulding, KWT., Groves, SJ., Henderson, I., Hine, RE., King, V., van Oostrum, J., Pendlington, DJ., Vis, JK. and Walter, C., (2008). Multi-year assessment of Unilever's progress towards agricultural sustainability II: outcomes for peas (UK), spinach (Germany, Italy), tomatoes (Australia, Brazil, Greece, USA), tea (Kenya, Tanzania, India) and oil palm (Ghana). International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability. 6 (1), 63-88

Hine, R., Peacock, J. and Pretty, J., (2008). Working the land.. Mental Health Today Brighton England, 23-26

Pretty, J., Peacock, J., Hine, R., Sellens, M., South, N. and Griffin, M., (2007). Green exercise in the UK countryside: Effects on health and psychological well-being, and implications for policy and planning. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. 50 (2), 211-231

Pretty, J., Hine, RE., Morison, JIL., Noble, AD., Bossio, D., Dixon, J. and de Vries, FWTP., (2007). Response to Comment on “Resource-Conserving Agriculture Increases Yields in Developing Countries”. Environmental Science & Technology. 41 (3), 1056-1057

Morison, J., Hine, R. and Pretty, J., (2005). Survey and Analysis of Labour on Organic Farms in the UK and Republic of Ireland. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability. 3 (1), 24-43

Pretty, JN., Morison, JIL. and Hine, RE., (2003). Reducing food poverty by increasing agricultural sustainability in developing countries. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 95 (1), 217-234

Pretty, JN., Mason, CF., Nedwell, DB., Hine, RE., Leaf, S. and Dils, R., (2003). Environmental Costs of Freshwater Eutrophication in England and Wales. Environmental Science & Technology. 37 (2), 201-208

Pretty, J., Brett, C., Gee, D., Hine, R., Mason, C., Morison, J., Rayment, M., Van Der Bijl, G. and Dobbs, T., (2001). Policy Challenges and Priorities for Internalizing the Externalities of Modern Agriculture. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. 44 (2), 263-283

Pretty, JN., Brett, C., Gee, D., Hine, RE., Mason, CF., Morison, JIL., Raven, H., Rayment, MD. and van der Bijl, G., (2000). An assessment of the total external costs of UK agriculture. Agricultural Systems. 65 (2), 113-136

Pretty, J. and Hine, R., (2000). The promising spread of sustainable agriculture in Asia. Natural Resources Forum. 24 (2), 107-121

Books (2)

Barton, JL., Bragg, R., Wood, C. and Pretty, JN., (2016). Green Exercise Linking Nature, Health and Well-being. Routledge. 9781138807648

(2012). The Pesticide Detox. Routledge

Book chapters (5)

Wood, C., Bragg, R. and Pretty, J., (2016). The benefits of green exercise for children. In: Green Exercise Linking Nature Health and Well Being. 46- 52

Sempik, J. and Bragg, R., (2016). Green care: Nature-based interventions for vulnerable people. In: Green Exercise Linking Nature Health and Well Being. Editors: . Routledge. 100- 113. 9781138807648

Sempik, J. and Bragg, R., (2013). Green care: Origins and activities. In: Green Care for Human Therapy Social Innovation Rural Economy and Education. 11- 31

Pretty, J., Wood, C., Hine, R. and Barton, J., (2013). Nature for Rehabilitating Offenders and Facilitating Therapeutic Outcomes for Youth at Risk. In: Routledge International Handbook of Green Criminology. Routledge. 1317809009. 9781317809005

(2013). Nature for rehabilitating offenders and facilitating therapeutic outcomes for youth at risk. In: Routledge International Handbook of Green Criminology. Routledge. 200- 212

Contact

rebragg@essex.ac.uk

Location:

Colchester Campus