A powerful new youth mental-health event in Bath explored how creativity, connection and time in nature can help young people tackle smartphone overuse.
The Digital Detox Club’s first youth-focused event, Unplug to Reconnect, brought together students, parents, teachers and wellbeing experts at Kingswood School to examine the impact of constant digital connection — and to celebrate the joy of switching off.
Co-founded by Nicola MacDonald and Laura Hughes, The Digital Detox Club hosts screen-free gatherings designed to help people rediscover real-world presence, creativity and conversation. Delivered in partnership with Kingswood School, the Bath event featured talks, creative workshops and youth-led discussion panels around the theme ‘Reclaiming What It Means to Be Human’.
Former Headspace COO Shona Beats opened the day with a thought-provoking talk on how social media platforms are engineered to keep users hooked. ‘They don’t just know who you are – they know what makes you tick,’ she said, urging greater awareness and self-agency when it comes to our tech use.
Dr Susie Davies, founder of Papaya Parents, shared new research linking smartphone use with rising rates of adolescent anxiety and depression, noting that the average teenager now spends 4.8 hours a day on social media – the equivalent of 75 days a year online.
A teen panel hosted by King Edward’s School teacher Hannah Dawes brought the conversation to life, as young people spoke candidly about comparison, pressure and burnout – but also about the creativity and community digital spaces can offer.
Artist and educator Lorna Bode led a hands-on workshop, Art as a Healing Force, inviting participants to use creativity to express emotion. “Despite what Instagram tells us, art isn’t about perfection,” she said. “It’s a healing force, a path home to ourselves.”
Nature also played a key role in the day’s discussions. Tash Filer from the National Trust highlighted the benefits of spending time outdoors, reminding attendees that just 20 minutes in nature can reduce stress and lift mood. She encouraged families to make the most of Bath’s green spaces, from Prior Park to Bathampton Meadows.
The event concluded with Barbara Baskerville, co-founder of Baskervilles Gym, exploring the mental-health benefits of physical movement and how exercise can help young people reconnect with their bodies and minds.
Unplug to Reconnect is part of a growing series of offline events in Bath and beyond from The Digital Detox Club, whose motto is ‘Real life is our obsession’.
Founded in 2025, the organisation creates pop-up experiences that encourage people to step away from technology and reconnect with themselves, others and the natural world through talks, creative sessions and partnerships with local schools and community groups.
