Category: Wellbeing and self-care

Heatwaves, droughts and floods have become a regular fixture in the news. In the leadup to 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (also known as COP26) more and more people are talking about ‘climate anxiety’. We share some tips on how you can make a difference environmentally, whilst supporting your own mental health and wellbeing.

Mental Health UK and ITN Productions Industry News launch a new co-production ‘Forward Together for Mental Health’, exploring how the pandemic has advanced the mental health narrative and agenda in the workplace and wider society.

Mental Health UK responds to American gymnast and four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles’ decision to withdraw from the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

In 2018, Ollie experienced a relapse of depression and OCD. This year, he entered fatherhood during the height of the lockdown. Ollie tells us how he’s found it adjusting to this big lifestyle transition, and how he’s tried to look after his mental health throughout it.

Mark Williams is a keynote speaker, author and international campaigner, as well as a good friend of our founding charity, Adferiad Recovery. He provides perinatal mental health training to new parents and parent-to-be, to help ensure that all families are supported during the perinatal period, which is often a challenging time. Below Mark shares his personal story about his own mental health battle, the stigma he faced as a man, and how he ended up campaigning for change for other men and dads.

One of our founding partners, Rethink Mental Illness, provides the Advice and Information Service (RAIS) – a helpline that offers practical help with a range of topics, as well as advising people affected by mental illness of their rights, helping them identify their options and empowering them to take action. Supporting the small team of staff (Advice and Information Officers) who run the service, is a large team of volunteers who equip people with the information they need to get the right help. Together, the RAIS volunteers and staff make an invaluable contribution to the service.

Mental Health UK responds to Naomi Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the French Open due to her mental health and experiences of depression.

This Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June 2021), we’re exploring the mutually beneficial experience of giving your time to volunteering. Sarah, our fantastic colleague and Partnerships Manager, shares her story of how her endeavours helping others ultimately helped her.

Johnston is our Events Fundraising and Engagement Officer and a valued colleague. While on furlough in 2020, he decided to learn something new and teach himself to sew. Noticing his newfound sense of purpose, Johnston had an appetite to take his sewing to the next level and started to immerse himself in YouTube videos and sewing books. His new project had a profound impact on his wellbeing – he told us that he finds sewing relaxing and rewarding, and that he’d love to have his own fashion design business one day. He’s already started making his own clothes… Sew far sew good!

Rosie Robson is an Account Executive and one of the UK hub leads for the ‘Be Wellness’ team at Salesforce, our valued corporate partners. We recently teamed up with Salesforce, supporting them as they launched a global wellness initiative. They managed to encourage 350 people to exercise over 21 days in an effort to keep fit, socialise and raise vital funds for the people we support. We were so impressed that they raised an incredible £2,500 and even managed to build a running community at work, maintaining their fitness levels beyond the event. Hear from Rosie below on how important being active is for everyone at Salesforce.

Kathy O’Callaghan was a loving aunt and a wonderful friend to Laura. After she took her own life in October 2020, Laura and her good friend Jane decided to take action and raise awareness around mental health, in her memory. They took on a 27km walking challenge on the beautiful island of Lanzarote, wanting to do something that enhanced their fitness and made them feel both physically and mentally good. And they managed to raise an astonishing €2,773! Jane tells us their story and explains why this walk was so important to her and Laura.

We’re teaming up with award-winning artist Paul Cummins MBE on a campaign to help the public to spring into action this Mental Health Awareness Week and create healthy dialogues around mental health in society.

Mental Health UK has today published a joint open letter with fellow leaders in the sector thanking charity workers and volunteers for their service during the Covid-19 pandemic and emphasising that supporting their mental health and wellbeing must be a “national priority”.

Our collaboration will provide information, guidance and support specifically designed to help sportspeople build and maintain good mental health.

Eating healthy foods not only helps to keep us physically well, but it can have a positive impact on our mood, our energy and our ability to think clearly too. Our gut can also reflect how we’re feeling inside. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious your digestive system can slow down or speed up. Our friends and el-thy have provided some healthy recipes you can try at home to help you look after your mind and body.

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way we work, live and interact with others. This is all bound to have an impact on our mental health, but it isn’t always bad. Liz shares with us how she’s finding lockdown with bipolar disorder.

Eighty percent (80%) of people living with mental illness who responded to a survey by charity Rethink Mental Illness said that coronavirus and the measures to contain it have made their mental health worse, including 28% stating that it is “much worse”.

For International Women’s Day, Mental Health UK alongside our partners Bill’s Restaurants hosted an event focussed on building self-esteem in a pressurised world. Here are some of the highlights of what was discussed.

Gill took part in the Great Scottish Run 10k for Mental Health UK in 2019 raising over £800 to help people affected by mental health problems. She told us why she got involved, as well as why this race was so important to her and her recovery.

Brian Dow, Chief Executive of Mental Health UK, reflects on the trip of a lifetime – joining Lloyds Banking Group colleagues on the Walk The Talk trek in Cambodia.

Art is the Best Medicine is a unique chance for members of the public to see and buy artworks by the UK’s top comedians, whilst raising money for Mental Health UK. The exhibition will take place from 13th – 20th December 2019 at contemporary London gallery, Fiumano Clase.

Can photography support mental health? The Photography Movement believes it can. In collaboration with photographer Charlie Clift and the ‘Let’s Talk’ campaign, they are enabling conversations around mental health through the medium of photography.

Brian Dow, Chief Executive for Mental Health UK welcomes you to our new website!