The Yard, a venue at the heart of the LGBTQ+ community in Coventry, is doing great work for mental health and we’re delighted they’re supporting us as fundraisers, as we work to increase diversity and inclusion for all.
They organised two events in partnership with us last year, alongside kind donations from the Yard and their customers which support our ability to offer information and support around mental health support within the LGBTQ+ community.
So they far they have raised more than £800 to support our mental health services.
Working together
Their
first event was a hard-hitting drama around suicide with CW Mind
representatives available during the event to provide support and signposting to
services.
This was the start of us working together to bridge the gap in support for the LGBTQ+ community in new ways, with Leeya, our Director of Operations, and Ambassador Dee Hodgson among the contestants taking part in Coventry does Strictly LGBT.
The Yard went on to organise a staff Get Me Out of Here event which saw them overcome their fears in a Bushtucker trial featuring a bar menu with a difference, to raise further funds and awareness of our work together.
New year
We would like to thank all at The Yard for their support of the work that we do. We look forward to continuing to build an environment together where every person feels able to reach out for information and mental health support, for a safer and happier community here in Coventry and Warwickshire.
As the new
year begins, we will continue to work closely with The Yard and the wider
LGBTQ+ community to promote mental health awareness. Look out for future
partnership events as more are being planned.
** A Dragged through the Yard event is due to take place every week for six weeks from February 21st. Please keep an eye out for more details. **
Do you have what is takes to lead our charity in an exciting new era?
We’re recruiting for a Director of Business Support. This newly created post will work as part of Coventry and Warwickshire Mind’s Senior Management Team, to support the strategic direction and growth of our charity through business development and income generation.
Essential
requirements include:
Experience of operating at a senior management level.
Strategic management/policy development skills.
Positive, supportive, proactive and solution focused approach.
It’s seven days in to RED January 2020 and our ambassadors who are taking part in the move more challenge this month have reflected on their week of activities so far.
Both Emily Bunce and Dee Hodgson were involved last year, too. Read about their experiences this time around below.
Emily said:
RED January last year for me was
literally to run every day. I was exhausted by the end of it, but it started a
passion for running which I’m so happy about.
This year I thought let’s do it differently. Moving
positively for your body does not mean exhausting it.
So, I’m trying 31 different types of physical movement. So far,
I’ve run, swam, done yoga, a weights session and stretched. I’ve still got
walking, Bollywood dancing, trampolining and even gardening on the list to do.
A week in and I’m so excited every day to do something
different. Some are going to be tougher than others, but I think it’s so
important to find movement in everything you do.
The thing I’m most loving about it is the sense of community
with RED Jan. Were all in it together. In the time of year when the gatherings
stop and everyone stays in, it’s great to know there are people wanting to do
things together. You don’t feel so low in one of the rankest months of the year!
Dee said:
This year
I wanted to look at both my physical and mental wellbeing.
I wanted
to mix things up to keep my motivation up and take this time to experience new
ways of self-care.
So far, my
RED January has consisted of increased walking, putting mindfulness into action
and relaxation, enjoying time with my dog. I have also included a gym
session which has led to new friendships.
I’m
exploring how to increase my daily activities within my working day, by parking
further away from appointments. This gives me head space to process thoughts
and to gain some much-needed relation time.
Plus twice a week I’m dancing in preparation for Coventry does Strictly 2020, incorporating physical activity and social time.
RED January
this year is not just about slogging it out in a gym and feeling pressured to achieve,
it’s about building achievable goals that incorporate mental and emotional wellbeing,
keeping it real and interesting,
Today the
office was filled with giggles as we started an impromptu fun four-minute dance
found on the internet. Keeping it fun and real!
We know this time of year can be difficult for so many of us for a variety of reasons, and Coventry and Warwickshire Mind is here to give anyone who needs it the support they you need over the Christmas and New Year season.
We’re here to help whenever you need mental health support, whatever the time of year, including Christmas Day when our Wellbeing Hubs will be open in:
Services include free sessions for those of us in need of company and someone to talk to.
Peer-led drop-ins offer you the opportunity to meet others in safe environment.
Walk-ins offer the opportunity to access information and resources. It is also possible to talk in private for up to 20 minutes with our experienced practitioners.
Phone support offers the opportunity to talk to an experienced wellbeing practitioner
The Coventry Wellbeing Hub in Wellington Gardens, Windsor Street, Coventry, is open every day including Christmas Day.
Usual opening times (apart from Christmas Day) are 1pm – 5pm Monday to Sunday.
Did you know poor mental health is now the main reason for staff absence in the UK? Mental Health First Aid training is an effective way to reduce absenteeism, enhance wellbeing and increase productivity.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognised training course which teaches how to spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health and provide help on a first aid basis.
“MHFA will teach you to listen, reassure and respond; even in a crisis.”
Research shows that taking part in a MHFA course will:
Raise awareness of mental health, and increase
mental health literacy
Reduce stigma around mental ill health
Boost knowledge and confidence in dealing with
mental health issues
Promote early intervention which enables recovery
There are options of Youth MHFA or Adult MHFA; the adult courses are for everyone aged 16 upwards. Every MHFA course is delivered by a quality assured instructor who has attended an Instructor Training Programme accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health and is trained to keep people safe and supported while they learn. Learning takes place through a mix of group activities, presentations and discussions. While there are options for half day and one day courses, please note that only the two-day course certifies you to become an accredited Mental Health First Aider.
The two-day course is designed to give you:
A deeper understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect people’s wellbeing, including your own
Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues
Confidence to step in, reassure and support a person in distress
Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening
Knowledge to help someone recover their health by guiding them to appropriate support.
As well as open courses to book onto individually; we also deliver in-house at your choice of location.
Please contact our Training team for pricing and enquiries:
There’s a new way to donate to CW Mind while shopping online – at no extra cost to yourself.
Amazon gives you a chance to donate while you shop with a charity scheme called AmazonSmile. Through AmazonSmile, Amazon will automatically donate 0.5% of the net purchase price, excluding VAT, returns and shipping fees.
Simply choose Coventry and Warwickshire Mind and this money will automatically go to us.
It won’t cost you any extra and every penny will help us deliver quality mental health services to people of all ages across Coventry and Warwickshire.
For the donation to apply, you must always start your Amazon shopping at:
Step 2: Type in the ‘charity to support box’ Coventry and Warwickshire Mind
Step 3: Read the terms and conditions and click the ‘I understand’ box.
What’s AmazonSmile?
AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice.
For more information about Amazon Smile, visit this link
All places must be booked, this is not a drop in service. If someone is interested in the group they must contact us to check availability (see contact details below).
Some areas run male, female and mixed groups.
*Leamington and Stratford groups alternate weekly between daytime and evening sessions.
Some courses are run with 6 sessions over a 7 week period.
Autism Workshop for partners/family members/carers
If you are living with and/or supporting an adult with autism, these 2 day workshops will offer a greater understanding of the person you are supporting, the opportunity to connect with others in a similar situation, and support and signposting to local community services near you.
For us to contact you back, please leave a message with your:
name
contact details
postcode, and
service you are interested in
Places in all our activities are limited. To check availability, we advise you contact us in advance. If our support is not for you, we will help with information on other support and/or community services to suit your needs as appropriate.
Our £3.5million mental health recovery centre has been officially opened by the Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands, John Crabtree OBE.
St Clair Gardens, a 24-hour residential recovery centre in Foleshill, Coventry, has achieved much success since opening in April last year, having already supported dozens of residents and been honoured with a series of awards.
The ceremony was also attended by the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Linda Bigham, along with staff and trustees of the mental health charity and residents of St Clair Gardens.
Coventry and Warwickshire Mind worked with city-based builders Harrabin Construction and architects IDP to design and develop the 14-bed residential recovery centre on the site of the former Livingstone Road Baths.
It was a double celebration for Kay St Clair, the charity’s first CEO after whom the centre is named. She marked 30 years’ service with the charity in the week of the official opening. She said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome the Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands and the Lord Mayor of Coventry to celebrate the official opening of St Clair Gardens, the jewel in our crown. It has been our charity’s dream for so long and is a valuable addition to our range of support services, from resilience building through to care and support for individuals with complex needs. I was hugely honoured by the decision to name our recovery centre St Clair Gardens and feel extremely proud of what has been achieved so far. My thanks go to all who have worked with us to make the dream a reality and our staff whose tireless efforts help people experiencing mental health problems on their road to recovery and greater independence.”
Kay St Clair, Coventry and Warwickshire Mind CEO
St Clair Gardens has won the Best Offsite Project category of the
West Midlands Celebrating Construction Awards 2019 and was awarded Highly
Commended in the national Building Better Healthcare Awards. St Clair Gardens was
also shortlisted for the national Design in Mental Health Awards.
Coventry and Warwickshire Mind won the Embracing Opportunity and
Harnessing Risk category of the national Charity Governance Awards in May this
year, with the residential recovery centre key to this achievement.
L – R Gail Jones, trustee, Pat Allen, chair of the board of trustees, the Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands, John Crabtree OBE, Kay St Clair, Coventry and Warwickshire Mind CEO, and the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Linda Bigham.
Suicide Prevention Day is a worldwide awareness raising day dedicated to highlighting how to spot the signs and support someone who is feeling suicidal to prevent suicide. Every year organisations and communities around the world come together to raise awareness of how we can create a world where fewer people die by suicide.
Each year has a different theme and focus, to bring to light a specific aspect of suicide prevention, this year it will take place on Seprember 10th and Coventry and Warwickshire Mind is showing our support as we do every year.
It also helps promote the mental health services available to ensure those in need of support always get the help they need. Figures from the World Health Organisation show a person dies every 40 seconds by suicide globally and many more make a suicide attempt.
We say one suicide is one suicide too many.
It Takes Balls to Talk
Coventry and Warwickshire Mind is a proud partner in the delivery of It Takes Balls To Talk, a mental health awareness campaign launched in Coventry and Warwickshire to encourage people, particularly men, to talk about how they feel. The campaign uses sporting themes and key messages to direct people to help and support, when they need it. Coventry and Warwickshire Mind and It Takes Balls to Talk are working together to ensure we are giving people the help they need when it comes to suicide.
National Suicide Prevention Alliance
Coventry and Warwickshire Mind is also a member of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance and we’ll be sharing their World Suicide Prevention Day messages on the day via our social media channels. The focus of their messages will be around 5 key areas:
Starting conversations
Taking time to listen
Creating supportive workplaces
Helping people find support
Supporting people bereaved by suicide
CW Mind events
Come and join us at our scheduled Suicide Prevention Day events across Coventry and Warwickshire. Take a look at the table below for details of our activities.
Mancetter
Event:
North Warwickshire Wellbeing Hub Peer Led Drop-In
Why come along?
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, with activities focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Share experiences and pick up tips on looking after your wellbeing.
Date:
Monday 9th September
Time:
9am-12noon
Venue:
Mancetter Memorial Hall, Old Farm Road, Mancetter, CV9 1QN
Event:
North Warwickshire Wellbeing Hub Outreach
Why come along?
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Information on local services and support will be available, as well as Five Ways to Wellbeing information and support on mental health for anyone aged 16+
Date:
Thursday 12th September
Time:
9am-12noon
Venue:
Coleshill Town Hall, High Street Coleshill, Coleshill Town Hall, Birmingham B46 3BG
Event:
North Warwickshire Wellbeing Hub Peer Led Drop-In
Why come along?
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, with activities focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Share experiences and pick up tips on looking after your wellbeing.
Date:
Friday 13th September
Time:
1-4pm
Venue:
Mancetter Memorial Hall, Old Farm Road, Mancetter, CV9 1QN
Coventry
Event:
Coventry Wellbeing Hub
Why come along?
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, with activities focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Shareexperiences and pick up tips on looking after your wellbeing.
Raising awareness of CW Mind’s Children and Young People’s (CYP) services, CYP mental health, emotional wellbeing and Suicide Prevention Day. We will also have a tombola for members of the public to participate in.
Date:
Tuesday 10th September
Time:
9am – 5pm
Venue:
Lower Precinct, Coventry city centre
Nuneaton
Event:
Nuneaton Wellbeing Hub Outreach
Why come along?
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Information on local services and support will be available, as well as Five Ways to Wellbeing information and support on mental health for anyone aged 16+.
Date:
Monday 9th September
Time:
2-5pm
Venue:
Asda, Nuneaton
Event:
Nuneaton Wellbeing Hub Outreach
Why come along?
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Information on local services and support will be available, as well as Five Ways to Wellbeing information and support on mental health for anyone aged 16+.
Date:
Tuesday 10th September
Time:
1-4pm
Venue:
Ropewalk Shopping Centre, Nuneaton
Event:
Nuneaton Wellbeing Hub Peer Led Drop-in
Why come along?
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, with activities focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Share experiences and pick up tips on looking after your wellbeing.
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, with activities focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Share experiences and pick up tips on looking after your wellbeing.
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, with activities focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Share experiences and pick up tips on looking after your wellbeing.
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Information on local services and support will be available, as well as Five Ways to Wellbeing information and support on mental health for anyone aged 16+.
Date:
Friday 13th September
Time
10am-3pm
Venue:
All Saints Square, Bedworth
Event:
Bedworth Wellbeing Hub Outreach – Journey Bus
Why come along?
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Information on local services and support will be available, as well as Five Ways to Wellbeing information and support on mental health for anyone aged 16+.
Date:
Friday 13th September
Time:
10am-3pm
Venue:
All Saints Square, Bedworth
Event:
Bedworth Wellbeing Hub Peer Led Drop-in
Why come along?
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, with activities focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Share experiences and pick up tips on looking after your wellbeing.
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Information on local services and support will be available, as well as Five Ways to Wellbeing information and support on mental health for anyone aged 16+
Date:
Tuesday 10th September
Time
10am-1pm
Venue:
Outside Rugby Art Gallery & Museum and Rugby Library
Event:
Rugby Wellbeing Hub Peer Led Drop-in
Why come along?
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, with activities focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Share experiences and pick up tips on looking after your wellbeing.
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Information on local services and support will be available, as well as Five Ways to Wellbeing information and support on mental health for anyone aged 16+.
Date:
Wednesday 11th September
Time:
8.30am-12.30pm (8.30-10.30am – work coaches only, 10.30am-12.30pm – general public)
Raising awareness of suicide prevention, with activities focussing on early warning signs, coping strategies and encouraging conversations. Share experiences and pick up tips on looking after your wellbeing.
Nuneaton’s first indoor and outdoor House Party takes place at Griff and Coton Sports Club, Nuneaton, on Saturday 24th August 2019 from 12pm until late. It is a family friendly music festival and aims to bring the Nuneaton community together while raising funds and awareness for mental health. We are delighted the organisers have generously chosen to raise funds for Coventry and Warwickshire Mind.
In the day
There are two parts to this music event. During the day the fun will be outdoors with live DJs, craft stalls, DJ workshop, ariel hoop demonstration and raffle prizes. There will also be dance shows and entertainment indoors during the day. The price of entry is £3, under 12’s go free. All under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
In the evening
During the evening the House Party continues indoors with DJs playing from 6pm until late. Entry is free with your wristband from the day time or £5 on the door. For over 18s, ID is required.
More information
Come along and join the fun to help raise awareness and funds for Coventry and Warwickshire Mind through music.
We know this time of year can be difficult for so many of us for a variety of reasons, and Coventry and Warwickshire Mind is here to give anyone who needs it the support they you need over the Christmas and New Year season.
