Blog

The people who fundraise for us, often are living with mental health conditions or know someone who is. That’s why we aim for our events to be a safe space where people can be their full selves and feel part of a community. Hear from Steph as she tells us about her recent experience participating in our event, GLOW.

Alongside our popular Bloom and Your Resilience programmes, we have today launched a new innovative pilot programme called Me & Money, which encourages and empowers young people to explore and understand the interconnection between money and mental health.

It can feel daunting reaching out for support when we’re struggling, and we might not know what help is available. We spoke to Wayne about how he accessed mental health support and how he tried different options until he found something that he felt empowered him and provided him with techniques that he still uses to this day.

The cost-of-living crisis has undoubtably had an impact on the majority of us to a greater or lesser extent. Whilst financial concerns have been ever-present throughout the crisis, there has also been an erosive effect on people’s mental health.

Bloom, Mental Health UK’s programme for young people, is now being used by Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) in England.

When we think of ‘gamers’ we might automatically think of someone who is isolated and perhaps even antisocial. However, in recent years, there’s been more talk about how gaming can actually benefit mental health and help form tight-knit social networks and communities online. We hear from two avid gamers about how the hobby has supported their wellbeing, and what gamers can do to maintain their mental health whilst playing.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents hoped the days of remote learning were behind them and their children. However, recent news that over 100 schools have been forced to suddenly close due to safety fears over concrete has forced some pupils in England and Wales to start their school terms online or in temporary facilities.  

Thanks to our ongoing partnership with Bank of America, we are delivering a new service called Into Work in London, Kent and North Wales, supporting people to make positive change and enter employment.

It can be a daunting experience to volunteer for a cause for the first time, especially if you experience mental health problems. Anna tells us how volunteering at her local park run helped her to build confidence and brought a sense of connection and belonging into her life during recovery from an eating disorder.

Men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women, yet many men feel they can’t talk to other people about how they are feeling. We spoke to Lewis about why he feels young men might struggle to open up, and how it was a men’s talking group that supported him when he was at his lowest.

A new report highlights how our new model of community-based support for people living with mental illness has better met their non-clinical needs and improved engagement in and maintenance of positive health behaviours.

UCL Dance Society decided to dedicate their annual ‘Blooms’ performance to explore the theme of mental health in their show aptly named ‘Breathe’. We spoke to Alkistis who explained why, as young adults, mental health is high on the society’s radar, and how the cast used movement to convey emotions and thoughts.

We all know how socialising can be a great opportunity for colleagues to build connections and bonds beyond workplace duties and roles. However in recent years, many workplace social events go hand in hand with drinking. As we know, alcohol can impact our mental health and some people choose not to drink or can’t drink – for a variety of reasons. How can workplaces be more mindful about alcohol?

Summer is typically a time for looser, more revealing clothing, but for someone who struggles with their body image — the way they think and feel about their appearance — summer may be a difficult time. For people who self-harm or who have scars from self-harm, it can be even more distressing.

Self-harm is the intentional act of harming or injuring our body. Anyone of any age or background can experience the urge to self-injure, and it is often related to experiencing other mental health conditions. Darren spoke to us about his experience with self-harm, and how he copes with the scars on his body.