Ruthanne is the Museums Services Manager at the University of Edinburgh and Founder of Prescribe Culture, a heritage-based, non-clinical initiative for those seeking support for mental health and wellbeing. She is an ambassador for the power and benefits of the social prescribing movement, with a particular passion for the role of heritage to be a ‘vehicle’ for effective social prescribing.
Prescribe Culture started in 2018, with the view to develop social and cultural prescriptions for the students at the University. Since the de-livery of a successful pilot project in 2019 Prescribe Culture now has a range of programmes available online and in-person to the wider community, as well as serving the student population.
Key to the success of Prescribe Culture is the partnership with Edinburgh Link Workers and the wider Scottish Social Prescribing Network, in addition to all the generous heritage and cultural organisations, nationally and internationally, who support the various programmes.
The offer includes Take 30 Together Virtual (T30TV), supporting people ‘escape, explore and e-socialize with a world of heritage’ on a weekly basis, year round. T30TV has a very intergenerational (currently spanning 20 – 78 year olds) and international membership. Programme 6 offers provides opportunities to be part of small group workshop series inspired by heritage, resulting in a little ‘time out’ from the day-to-day, and day today.
Email: PrescribeCulture@ed.ac.uk or Ruthanne.Baxter@ed.ac.uk Twitter: @ruthannebaxter