Jack Moore

Hull and East Yorkshire Mind know that the current situation around coronavirus is worrying for many. During these unprecedented times it might feel more difficult than usual to take care of your mental health and wellbeing – but it’s important to remember that you are not alone and there are people available to help.

We are happy to be working with East Riding of Yorkshire Council Public Health on our brand new #StayWell campaign. The #StayWell campaign, launching on Monday 27th April 2020, will provide people in the local area with practical tools and tips to better manage, or improve their mental health. The tips include a variety of mental health topics such as stress, sleep, anxiety as well as working from home, and physical activity.

We have come up with 14 topics that we think can help you to stay well. By using our tips, you may start to feel better and be able to get the most out of life. View our tips here.

Our Training Manager Lorraine has written her first ever blog about her lockdown experiences.

The blog includes the things that Lorraine is doing to maintain or improve her mental health during these difficult times.

Read Lorraine’s blog here.

The 2.6 Challenge is a nationwide virtual challenge event taking place on April 26th 2020 – the original scheduled day for the London Marathon – and you can take part in support of Hull and East Yorkshire Mind!

We’re asking you to be a ‘Home Hero’ and help us raise vital funds to support our charity and local people at this difficult time. But don’t worry, you don’t need to be a marathon runner to join in!

The challenge is open to everyone, of all ages and abilities. Simply think of an activity based around the numbers 2.6 or 26 and take on that challenge on Sunday 26th April.

You could run 2.6 miles, complete 26 star jumps, or do a workout in 26 minutes (or even 2.6 minutes) – anything goes, as long as there’s a 26 or 2.6 in there somewhere!

The 2.6 Challenge is a really easy and fun way to keep active, improve your feelings of wellbeing, and help us raise much-needed funds to provide advice and support to local people experiencing mental health difficulties, to get well and change their lives.

To get involved please click here.

We are excited to announce that we have teamed up with Absolutely Cultured and Hull City Council to offer a Chatty Hull Befriender Service.

This project has been established to support local vulnerable residents in search of companionship in these uncertain times.

If you’re feeling isolated or anxious as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, then you can call the “Hull Helpline” on 01482 300 307 and register a need for the service.  The fabulous volunteers at Absolutely Cultured will then return calls; offering friendly conversations in a safe and healthy manner. At the same time, our trained volunteers will be on standby, just in case additional support is necessary.

The “Hull Helpline” is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm, and you can specify the best time and number for befriender calls when you register your details.

As more organisations move to online working, human connections are more important than ever.

Here are some ways to support your mental health, reduce feelings of isolation, and feel connected with colleagues while working remotely.

Click here to get practical tips on how to make the most of working from home.

Kooth.com is an award winning and innovative online counselling and support service which is now available to all young people aged 11-25 years across Hull, East Riding and North Lincolnshire. Kooth has been commissioned by the NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group, East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group and North Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

It is a safe, confidential and anonymous way for young people to access emotional wellbeing and early intervention mental health support.

Please see information on how to visit Kooth.com in the letter and information leaflet here.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the current situation surrounding COVID-19, we are currently not accepting any new applications for volunteers.

We will re-open applications when things are back to normal and it is safe for us to do so.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

It’s the final challenge of our #5W2WChallenge. Thank you so much for taking part and we really do hope these have helped.

Our last challenge is Give.

Participation in social and community life has attracted a lot of attention in the field of wellbeing research. Individuals who report a greater interest in helping others are more likely to rate themselves as happy. Research into actions for promoting happiness has shown that committing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in wellbeing. Even the smallest act of giving or kindness counts, whether it’s a smile, a thank you or a kind word.

Why not try one of the following:

• Give your friend or family member a compliment over text / phone / social media.
• Register to volunteer at a local charity (and start once things are back to normal).
• Make someone you live with a cuppa or make them tea.

Good Luck!
Hull and East Yorkshire Mind

Its day four of our #5W2WChallenge. We hope you have enjoyed the last 4 challenges and are finding it useful in improving your mental health during these times. It’s important to remember that the 5 ways to wellbeing don’t just help during these times – by incorporating these into your daily lives can really help to improve your overall wellbeing.

This challenge is Keep Learning.

Continued learning through life enhances self-esteem and encourages social interaction and a more active life. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the opportunity to engage in work or educational activities particularly helps to lift older people out of depression. The practice of setting goals, which is related to adult learning in particular, has been strongly associated with higher levels of positive mental health and wellbeing.

Why not learn something new today? Here are a few more ideas:

•Read the news or a book.
•Watch a new film or series.
•Do a crossword or Sudoku.
•Research something you’ve always wondered about.
•Learn a new language.

Do keep us updated on social media by sharing your snaps and hashtagging #5W2WChallenge @MindHEY

Good Luck!
Hull and East Yorkshire Mind