Ideal for All is celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week.
Yesterday marked the launch of Mental Health Awareness Week, the UK's national week focusing on raising awareness of mental health.
This year the theme is 'Nature' and how connecting with the natural world can help to support good mental health. Across the country, people will be celebrating the mental health benefits of being around nature in their local communities in a range of digital and creative ways. In Sandwell, Ideal for All is celebrating nearly 20 years of delivering mental health and wellbeing support using social and therapeutic horticulture.
CEO Khatija Patel said, "we are pleased to support another Mental Health Awareness Week here at Ideal for All. Our community garden sites are a great demonstration of how our communities are working with nature to support themselves and help promote positive health and wellbeing for all. It's fantastic to share the skills of our team, participants and volunteers."
Our integrated health, wellbeing and employment team will be hosting a series of workshops that are free to join for residents in the Black Country and Birmingham. Please check out our training and events page and social media: Facebook and Twitter for more information on how to join.
Emelye Westwood, head of Operations, agreed, "The past 12 months have proved challenging for us all. However, we are delighted to see so many people across the region finding comfort in growing plants and outdoors. We are proud to support Sandwell's six ways to wellbeing. This project enables new people to access our projects and see themselves as valued for the positive mental wellbeing support, they provide. We grow people here, not just plants, and this impact for our work is being understood on an ever-increasing platform."
Mark Rowland, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said: "Mental Health Awareness Week has grown to be one of the biggest awareness weeks in the UK. This year the theme is on nature and its central role in our mental health. Since the beginning of the pandemic, millions of us have turned to nature to help us get through lockdown, and our research shows that good mental health is dependent on connecting with nature in some way."
During the week, we want to hear millions of people's stories about how the natural world has helped to support your mental health. Some of the ways people can also participate in Mental Health Awareness Week:
- During Mental Health Awareness Week, why not try to make a habit each day of connecting to nature in your local area? Stop to listen to the birdsong, smell the freshly cut grass, take care of a house plant, notice any trees, flowers, or animals nearby. Take a moment to appreciate these connections.
- Share images/videos/or just sound recordings of nature on your doorstep (and how this made you feel) on social media using #ConnectWithNature and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek.