Join in with Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

This year, the theme is Movement; Moving more for mental health. Being active is great for bodies and minds as well as a brilliant way to spend time with people, enjoy the outdoors or take a step away from stresses. Exercise has been proven to reduce anxiety and depression, and can help us to prevent physical illnesses. Sadly, people living with mental illness die on average 20 years younger than the general population, and more likely to develop preventable conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and breast cancer. This is in part due people with mental illness being less likely to attend screening or health checks, but also because looking after ourselves can be far harder if we’re experiencing mental health issues.

Research shows that 56 per cent of people found that exercising regularly helped them to alleviate stress and prevent burnout in their lives. In 2023/4, SWR Mind ran a range of “Get Active” sessions ranging from yoga to dog walking with over 160 people taking part. Almost all participants agreed being more active had lifted mood.

To mark the week, local mental health charity Scarborough Whitby and Ryedale Mind will be running a selection of connecting, sharing and learning events that help people better understand mental health, get moving, eat something tasty or find creativity!

Getting active tasters include surfing, climbing, gentle walking and a trip to the alpaca retreat where you can get steps in alongside your alpaca buddy! If you’re feeling more creative, we have creative writing and poetry workshops, drawing and stencilling as part of Big Ideas by the Sea, or a chilled out rock paint and tea drink on the beach. There is a tasty taster of one of the most popular activities around, an interactive cooking session at the Cooks Place in Malton, exploring how food can lift mood.

For people who would like to understand more about mental health, we are offering the ‘FFA Level 1 awareness of first aid for mental health’ qualification free of charge. This nationally recognised qualification will provide you with an overview of mental health first aid and how to start difficult conversations as well as information on common mental health conditions, triggers and support.

All the events are free of charge (donations appreciated!) and people can sign up either via phone at 01723 339838 or online at www.swrmind.org.uk/upcoming-events/ which will send you confirmation and a reminder nearer the time. If you would like to support our work and ensure that ‘No mind is left behind’ this year, a donation can be made at www.justgiving.com/swrmind or we are in significant need of volunteers for befriending, telephone support and fundraising volunteers keen to run an event or take on a challenge! Almost all our funding comes from small grants and community fundraising and every contribution really does change lives at a time when mental healthcare is facing unprecedented demand.