Paul is saying goodby to Wild Ways Well but not before paying tribute to the town and its people.

A man who has helped lead an outdoor mental health project throughout Cumbernauld’s varied green spaces is bidding goodbye, but not before giving an emotional send-off praising the town and its people.
Paul BarclayPaul Barclay
Paul Barclay

Paul Barclay developed the Wild Ways Well project six years ago that was run in conjunction with Cumbernauld Living Landscape that has engaged with thousands of locals. He is now moving on and the project will continue without him but he did not want to leave without saying a proper goodbye.

Paul said: “I have never stopped being amazed and grateful for the spirit of friendship, generosity and enthusiasm that I have been met with from every quarter. We have walked all over the town, drank enough hot chocolate to fill a supertanker, listened to bats, spotted pine martens, tracked badgers and watched deer and foxes play.

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"We’ve picked litter, planted trees and wildflowers. We’ve watched the sun rise and set while sheltering from the rain, playing in the snow and sweltering in the heat. We’ve chilled around the fire, dressed up as ghosts, lazed about in hammocks, hugged trees and idly watched the world go by. We’ve shared our lives with each other, told stories, sang songs, laughed – and, once or twice, cried.

“Wild Ways Well is about people. Participants, supporters, referrers, partners, volunteer, none of it could have been done without you. Nature heals, it asks for nothing in return, but I hope that everyone who visited those places with me fell in love with them as much as I have.”

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