Mental Health Awareness Week

#KindnessMatters • “WE HAVE LEARNT THAT AMID THE FEAR, THERE IS ALSO COMMUNITY, SUPPORT AND HOPE” • Quote from Mental Health Foundation

THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR IS KINDNESS AND OUR MENTAL HEALTH, TO ACCOUNT FOR THE IMPACT OF THE CORONA VIRUS

 HELPING OTHERS CAN HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH, IT MAKES US FEEL GOOD AND HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING  ADULTS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED NOT JUST CHILDREN  WE HAVE ALL HAD TO ADJUST HOW WE LIVE AND THINK TO STAY SAFE  COMMUNITIES HAVE COME TOGETHER, NOT BY MEETING UP BUT THROUGH THEIR ACTIONS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING AND SUPPORT  THIS HAS ENCOURAGED A SENSE OF CARING AND KINDNESS IN US ALL WHICH CAN HELP TO IMPROVE OUR MENTAL HEALTH

HOW CAN KINDNESS AFFECT OUR MENTAL HEALTH?  BEING KIND TO OTHERS IMPROVES OUR MENTAL HEALTH AS IT MAKES US FEEL BETTER, DEVELOP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND IMPROVES OUR SELF-ESTEEM  HELPING SOMEONE LESS FORTUNATE THAN YOURSELF CAN HELP CHANGE YOUR OUTLOOK AND GIVES YOU A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND SATISFACTION  HAVE YOU TAKEN PART IN THE THURSDAY NIGHT CLAP FOR THE NHS AND KEY WORKERS? THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU, BUT THEY APPRECIATE EVERYONES SUPPORT  THINK ABOUT HOW IT MAKES YOU FEEL TO BE PART OF SUCH A BIG ACT OF UNITY

LITTLE ACTS OF KINDNESS WITH BIG IMPACTS PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES HAVE HELPED AND SHOWN KINDNESS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES: • RESTAURANTS – DONATING FREE MEALS AND DRINKS TO KEY WORKERS • SUPERMARKETS – SUPPORTING THE FOODBANKS BY GIVING FOOD, PROVIDING PPE AND SUPPORTING VULNERABLE PEOPLE • TAXI DRIVERS – PROVIDING FREE TRANSPORT FOR THE NHS, KEY WORKERS AND TRANSPORTED VITAL EQUIPMENT • EDUCATION – FREE RESOURCES SO YOU CAN CONTINUE TO LEARN, STAFF PROVIDING LESSONS AND PPE EQUIPMENT • CORPORATE COMPANIES – DONATING MONEY, EQUIPMENT AND TRANSPORTING VITAL GOODS

• YOU – EVERY TIME YOU HELPED AT HOME, DID YOUR WORK OR STAYED IN YOUR HOUSE – THANK YOU!!!!

THERE ARE TOO MANY TO LIST, BUT WITHOUT THEIR HELP AND ACTS OF KINDNESS MANY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE SUFFERED A LOT MORE WHICH COULD HAVE IMPACTED . ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.

ONE OF THE ACTS OF KINDNESS THAT GRABBED A LOT OF ATTENTION WAS 100-YEAR-OLD CAPT. TOM MOORE'S NHS FUNDRAISER – ORIGINALLY, HE WANTED TO RAISE £1000 -£100 FOR EACH YEAR OF HIS LIFE. ONCE WORD SPREAD ABOUT WHAT HE WAS DOING, HE RAISED MILLIONS. HE SAID “For all those people finding it difficult at the moment, the sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away”

A FEW WAYS YOU CAN CARRY OUT AN ACT OF KINDNESS THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

TRY TO KEEP IN A ROUTINE BUT DON’T WORRY IF IT DOESN’T WORK OUT

KEEP IN CONTACT WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

TIPS FOR LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF

KEEP YOUR MIND AND BODY ACTIVE AS IT HELPS TO RELIEVE STRESS, IMPROVE FITNESS AND HELPS YOU TO SLEEP

TO HELP YOU RELAX TRY LEARNING A NEW SKILL, READING A BOOK OR LISTENING TO MUSIC

HAVE A GO AT SCHOOL WORK, SET YOURSELF A GOAL EVERY DAY TRY TO COMPLETE AT LEAST ONE PIECE OF WORK OR MORE

IF YOU ARE WORRIED TALK TO YOUR FAMILY OR SOMEONE YOU TRUST. IF YOU FIND THIS DIFFICULT THERE ARE PLENTY OF HELPLINES AVAILABLE TO YOU

• WE HAVE ALL HAD TO START THINKING ‘OUTSIDE OF THE BOX’ WHICH IS NOT EASY • IT HAS TESTED OUR RESILLENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH • WE FACE LOTS OF CHALLENGES IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS OR CIRCUMSTANCES • REMEMBER IT IS OKAY TO BE APPREHENSIVE, WE HAVE NOT FACED SOMETHING THIS CHALLEGING BEFORE • YOU ARE DOING A GOOD JOB, WELL DONE TO YOU ALL • CELEBRATE WORKING TOGETHER DURING DIFFICULT TIMES AND DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!

MOST OF ALL, THROUGH ALL OF THIS, REMEMBER TO BE KIND TO YOURSELF

IF YOU NEED FURTHER HELP, INFORMATION OR SUPPORT VISIT ONE OF THE LINKS BELOW • https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week • https://www.rethink.org/get-involved/awareness-days-and-events/mental-health-awarenessweek/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-Jijts216QIVh6ztCh2GWApTEAAYASAAEgLv6_D_BwE • https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/?WT.tsrc=Search&WT.mc_id=MentalHealthGe neric&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-Jijts216QIVh6ztCh2GWApTEAMYASAAEgIEGPD_BwE • https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/mental-health-awareness-week/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI 3ajBn8616QIVCbrtCh0DjAmVEAAYAiAAEgInOfD_BwE

THANK YOU