Community Exhibition

Nature Heals | Photography by Trevor Parsons

21 July - 29 October 2023

Alice Ellen Cooper Dean Community Space

This exhibition is FREE

Dorset Museum and Dorchester Arts co-present Nature Heals, an exhibition of nature photography by Trevor Parsons. Trevor is a local photographer with an amazing story to tell about the healing power of photography. This is his story, told in his own words:

My name is Trevor Parsons I live in Verwood Dorset. I’ve had two mental breakdowns and nature and photography had a fundamental part of my recovery. I was off work for ten months and was admitted into St Ann’s Hospital in Poole twice in 2013/14. When I was within nature all the dark thoughts that were rushing around in my head faded slightly especially when I was taking a photo as I was focusing on that one moment in time and it gave me some much-needed headspace. This is when I realised how powerful nature and photography is as a self-help therapy tool. Since then, I’ve been promoting its benefits to try and help others going through mental illness now I’ve found a passion and motivation I never knew I had before.

Trevor has an amazing passion and drive to tell his story and this exhibition of 18 large-format images of his work, along with a short film, will be in the Museum’s Community Space throughout their upcoming Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition, one of the UK’s most popular touring photography shows.

On Weds Sept 6^th, a Nature Heals event will take place at Dorchester Corn Exchange. From 1pm to 7pm Trevor’s photos will be exhibited on the cinema screen in the venue with a musical soundtrack, allowing people to drop in and see a greater range of his work. Trevor will be on hand to talk about his experiences and information and advice about mental health issues will also be available.