That’s what social prescribing is all about. It’s about prescribing social things to help us. Like dropping into a café for a cup of coffee. Or open water swimming (in the sea) with a group of like-minded people, and swimming instructors, of course! More and more health professionals are turning to the psychological benefits of special prescribing as it changes lives for the better. And doesn’t have physical side effects like some medicines.
Below is a poem from someone we worked with. He wants to express how something like social prescribing can uplift your quality of life. LD used both our Cycling Without Age service and worked with A Band of Brothers to help improve his life.

Pilots practice on their bikes
Loving life
I see people in life just letting it pass by
I can’t understand why so few of us try
for many years I did the same
everything passed, always mundane
Now here I sit
almost 43 with a better outlook
that’s bigger than me
Now don’t get me wrong, life’s hard and it’s cruel
But these things have passed and now they’re only a tool
A past we can’t change
Now when I was younger life was hideous and hard
I always felt I was dealt a losing card
or most of my time I was filled with rage
from a lifetime of hurt, bullying like I’m caged
Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide
I left myself in the state of dismay
no thought of the future and with no belief
sometimes I thought death would be a relief
When I turned of age and found a passion
working hard in my dad’s fashion
the building site was blessed, although I was only sweeping
but the people I met, never let me try sleeping
They showed me what it was to do
hard work and I found something within
a place to begin
I finally found my strength within
to take my life forward and stop all the sin
for the time that I spent just sitting and dwelling
on things that I had no cause to be thinking or telling
Now this is only part of the story I’ve begun
just like living, it’s moments and not just one
All the bad moments that we all find from our past
We can look to the future and make our life last
My life truly started once I found a belief
within myself and it was such a relief
I picked up the phone and called for advice
I got an appointment with a lady who gave advice
she gave me a chance and made an appointment
for me to seek advice about small employment
the gentleman I met was forthright and true
He kept me grounded when I wanted to fly
because he knew it’s enough to just try
I took his advice and slowed myself down and made myself listen
to the advice that was given
Now here I am one year later
I’ve had many moments of bad nature
but even so this man has stuck with me
knowing my passion and belief that’s within me
This poem I write is not about me
it’s about what we can all actually see
a future, a life, a chance and option
We will have them but people’s past stops them
please remember that that’s not who you are
look deep inside, you’ll know you can go far
I’ve learnt my lessons from a lifetime of pain
like many others is hard to stay sane
But if you can see through all of this there can be hope
if you follow your dream
now don’t get me wrong it will be far from easy
But maintain your belief within yourself and life can be breezy
Even in bad times there is always some good
use these moments and you’ll be where you should
living a life you create for yourself
not holding back because of something else
Take all your time to look deep inside
where your heart and dreams collide
once you find it you will have no place to hide
you will be able to face life head on
and through every moment you will stay strong
This is dedicated to the people who stuck with me, even though despair.
LD makes use of our Cycling Without Age service and Band of Brothers.