Lift someone out of loneliness – Mental Health Awareness Week
“Fancy a cuppa?” Sometimes reaching out to someone with as little as three words can make a big difference.
The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week (9-15 May) is loneliness. It is something we all can experience at some point in our lives, which can impact our wellbeing.
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) is supporting the ‘Better Health: Every Mind Matters’ campaign to encourage people to take a simple action to help someone who may be feeling lonely. Reaching out can also stop us feeling lonely.
If we do this regularly, we can all help to lift each other up.
NSFT, the Wellbeing service and our partners, such as Mind, are running a range of free events, online and in person, to help people connect with others.
Events include wellbeing walks and drop-in sessions, relaxed get-togethers at virtual and actual cafés, a quiz, and much more. Some events are for any age, and some are aimed at young people. For further information, please see the Events list below.
Please also look out for our social media posts throughout the week suggesting ways you can lift yourself and others out of loneliness.
Special podcast: young people and loneliness
Dr Beth Mosley MBE, Consultant Clinical Psychologist in our Psychology in Schools team, has a discussion with three young people who are keen to share their personal experiences of loneliness. They talk about what loneliness means and has felt like for them and share ideas about how to prevent it from happening.
To listen to the free Mental Health and You podcast, visit https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/mental-health-and-you-podcast or search for ‘Mental Health and You’ on Apple Podcasts. The podcast will be available from Monday (9 May).
Find out how you can help to lift someone out of loneliness:
Visit https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/lifes-challenges/loneliness/
Mind Plan Quiz
Take the Mind Plan Quiz to get a personalised mental health action plan with practical tips to help you deal with stress, anxiety, low mood and trouble sleeping. Plus advice on how to cope with feelings of loneliness.
Wellbeing service
Wellbeing provides a range of support for people with common mental health and emotional difficulties such as stress, low mood, and anxiety. The services are free and are available to people aged 16 and over.
To find out more and to self-refer, visit www.wellbeingnands.co.uk or call: 0300 123 1503.
Events
Monday, 9 May
- 10.30am – Wellbeing Champion Training – book your place on Eventbrite
- 1.30-2.30pm Virtual Café – have a chat in a safe environment and meet like-minded people. Link to Virtual Café (make sure you have selected 'Norfolk and Waveney' as your area to view the page)
- 2pm-3pm – Wellbeing Friends Event at Gainsborough Library. Just come along to this free one-hour introduction to our services and we will offer you a badge, certificate and other benefits. Link to Gainsborough Library Wellbeing Friends Event (make sure you have selected 'Suffolk' as your area to view the page)
- 2-3.30pm – Wellbeing Café, Morrisons, Beccles. Informal drop-in to connect and relax with like-minded people. Link to Wellbeing Cafe (make sure you have selected 'Norfolk and Waveney' as your area to view the page)
- 7-8pm – Virtual Film and Music quiz on Zoom. For young people 25 and under, plus their carers and supporters. Link to Virtual Film and Music quiz, plus posters to download and display.
Tuesday 10 May
- 11am-12pm – Wellbeing Friends Event at Clare Library. Just come along to this free one-hour introduction to our services and we will offer you a badge, certificate and other benefits.: Link to Clare Library Wellbeing Friends Event (make sure you have selected 'Suffolk' as your area to view the page)
- 2-3pm – Wellbeing Walk, Norwich. Meet at St Andrew’s Hall to join us for a walk along Norwich’s historic and beautiful river Wensum. Link to Wellbeing Walk Norwich (make sure you have selected 'Norfolk and Waveney' as your area to view the page)
Wednesday 11 May
- 10-11.30am – Coffee Crawl at Applaud Coffee, 19 St Peter’s Street, Ipswich. Just turn up and meet like-minded people in a relaxed,
informal chat setting. Link to Coffee Crawl, plus poster to download and display. - 12-2pm – Wellbeing Walk, Southwold - Join us at Southwold’s Historic Pier for a circular spring walk along the promenade. Connect with others while taking in the fresh air. Link to Wellbeing Walk Southwold (make sure you have selected 'Norfolk and Waveney' as your area to view the page)
- 12.30-2pm – Wellbeing Walk – Sandringham – Meeting in front of the Visitors Centre, Sandringham PE35 4AB. Join us for a gentle stroll around the famous Sandringham grounds. Link to Wellbeing Walk Sandringham (make sure you have selected 'Norfolk and Waveney' as your area to view the page)
- 1.30pm-2.30pm – Wellbeing Suffolk Drop-In session at Woodbridge Library. We’ll be on hand to offer advice, guidance and answer questions about the free support the Wellbeing Service offer and help anyone who would like to refer for support: Link to Wellbeing Suffolk Drop-in session at Woodbridge Library make sure you have selected 'Suffolk' as your area to view the page)
- 4-5pm – Peer support information session via Zoom. For young people 25 and under, plus their carers and supporters. Link to peer support information session, plus poster to download and display.
Thursday 12 May
- 10am-12pm – Wellbeing Suffolk Drop-In session at Stradbroke Library. We’ll be on hand to offer advice, guidance and answer questions about the free support the Wellbeing Service offer and help anyone who would like to refer for support: Link to Stradbroke Library Wellbeing Friends Event (make sure you have selected 'Suffolk' as your area to view the page)
- 2pm-3pm – Wellbeing Friends Event at Framlingham Library. Just come along to this free one-hour introduction to our services and we will offer you a badge, certificate and other benefits.: Link to Framlingham Library Wellbeing Friends Event (make sure you have selected 'Suffolk' as your area to view the page)
- 3.30-5pm – Walk and Talk, Ipswich Waterfront. For young people 25 and under, plus their carers and supporters. Link to Ipswich Waterfront Walk and Talk, plus poster to download and display.
- 6-7pm – Crosswords Together – online with Zoom - Join us for an evening of shared crossword fun. Link to Crosswords Together (make sure you have selected 'Norfolk and Waveney' as your area to view the page)
Friday 13 May
- 10-11.30am – Coffee Crawl at Applaud Coffee, 19 St Peter’s Street, Ipswich. Just turn up and meet like-minded people in a relaxed,
informal chat setting. Link to Coffee Crawl, plus poster to download and display. - 10.30am-12pm – Wellbeing Walk, Cromer – Meet In front of Cromer Pier, Promenade, Cromer, NR27 9HE- Join us for a gentle stroll along the promenade or the beach, connect with others and take in the beautiful scenery. Link to Wellbeing Walk Cromer (make sure you have selected 'Norfolk and Waveney' as your area to view the page)
- 1-2.30pm – Wellbeing Walk, Breydon Water. Meet at the back of Great Yarmouth, Asda Car Park, where Breydon Water Reserve starts. NR30 1SF. Link to Wellbeing Walk Breydon Water (make sure you have selected 'Norfolk and Waveney' as your area to view the page)
- 2-3.30pm – Walk and Talk, Abbey Gardens, Bury St Edmunds. For young people 25 and under, plus their carers and supporters. Link to Abbey Gardens Walk and Talk, plus poster to download and display.
- 2.30pm-3.30pm – Wellbeing Friends Event at Needham Market Library. Just come along to this free one-hour introduction to our services and we will offer you a badge, certificate and other benefits. Link to Needham Market Library Wellbeing Friends Event (make sure you have selected 'Suffolk' as your area to view the page)
Saturday 14 May
- 1.30-4.30pm – North Walsham Big Bash – at the library and community centre – come and see us – this event is for all who wish to become more involved in their local community and see it grow or who wish to have some support to help them join in and make a contribution. More information here.
Monday 16 May
- Norfolk and Waveney Mind ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing exhibition’ at the Forum, Norwich:
Mental health and wellbeing exhibition poster.pdf [pdf] 847KB