Category: Latest News

News

Maternal Mental Health Week

Latest News, Uncategorised

Maternal Mental Health Week takes place this year from 29th April to 5th May. It is a week-long campaign dedicated to talking about mental illness during pregnancy or after having a baby and signposting to support for all mums.

The focus is on advocating for mums affected by maternal mental health issues and helping them to access the information and help they need to enable recovery. This year’s theme for the third annual UK Maternal Mental Health Week is Mums Matter.

Mums in Mind

Coventry and Warwickshire Mind’s Mums in Mind service provides support for pregnant women and mums who are experiencing mental health issues, emotional distress and/or those who feel lonely and may lack the support of family and friends.

For many women being pregnant or a new mum can be an overwhelming, frightening, and stressful time especially for those experiencing mental ill health and/or who lack support of family and friends. Mums in Mind are there to help pregnant women and mums to increase their social and support networks, improve their confidence and self-esteem, and to help improve their emotional wellbeing.

We offer as part of this service:

  • Befriending
  • Peer Support/Short Courses
  • Baby Massage

Mums in Mind is for women who:

  • Are experiencing antenatal or postnatal depression or anxiety
  • Feel lonely or isolated
  • Lack the support of close family and friends
  • Are single
  • Are young
  • Have suffered with anxiety or depression in the past
  • Are in a difficult/abusive relationship or have been in the past
  • Have low self-esteem/ confidence

To find out more about our Mums in Mind service, click this link

For more information about Maternal Mental Health Week 2019, visit this website

Mental Health Awareness Week

Community Events, Homepage Slide, Latest News, Uncategorised

Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual campaign coordinated by the Mental Health Foundation and runs from 13th – 19th May 2019.

The week aims to raise awareness of mental health and usually has a targeted theme which changes each year. The theme for 2019 is Body Image – how we think and feel about our bodies.

Body image issues can affect all of us at any age. During the week we will be hosting a range of events in support of Mental Health Awareness Week and this year’s theme. Our Mental Health & Wellbeing Bus will be on the road across Coventry and Warwickshire and stopping in a number of locations.

Plus, our the doors will be open to our Wellbeing Hubs to provide mental health support and people will be encouraged to think positively about themselves and what makes them unique.

Get involved

  • Join in the local events and activities we’re holding which are listed in the table below, and keep checking this page for updated activities as new events will be added.
  • Follow the hashtag #BeBodyKind to keep up with our activities on Facebook/cwmind and Twitter @cwmind

Find out ways to get involve with this national campaign by clicking this link.

CW Mind events for Mental Health Awareness Week 2019

DateEventInformation
Monday May
13th 		Rugby Library, Rugby:
10am – 3pm		Our bus will be out at Rugby Library. Come on board!
Mancetter: 9am-12pm
Coventry: 1pm – 5pm 		Our Wellbeing Hubs are open and are here to offer
you support.
Tuesday May
14th 		Rugby College, Rugby:
10am – 1pm
Our Wellbeing bus will be at Rugby College with
resources to help you with your mental health.

Rugby: 1pm – 4pm
Coventry: 1pm – 5pm
Nuneaton: 5pm – 8pm 		Access the information you need at our
Wellbeing hubs
Wednesday
May 15th		 Coventry: 1pm – 5pm
Bedworth: 5pm – 8pm 		Our Wellbeing Hubs are open with information and advice on offer.
Thursday May 16th North Warwickshire
South Leicestershire
College
Nuneaton:
10am – 3pm		Get on board our Mental health & Wellbeing bus at
this college in Nuneaton.
Coventry: 1pm – 5pm
Nuneaton: 5pm – 8pm 		Our Wellbeing Hubs are here to point you in the right
direction and support your mental health
Friday May 17th University of Warwick:
10am – 3pm		Our Bus will be out at the University of Warwick today with staff offering support and guidance
Mancetter: 1pm – 4pm
Coventry: 1pm – 5pm
Bedworth: 5pm – 8pm 		Let us help you with your mental health with our
Wellbeing Hubs that are open today.
Saturday May
18th 		Broadgate, Coventry:
10am – 3pm		Get on board our bus at Broadgate in Coventry and access the information you need about mental health.
Rugby: 10am – 1pm
Coventry: 1pm – 5pm 		Our Wellbeing Hubs will be open in these locations with advice and support.
Sunday May
19th 		Coventry: 1pm – 5pm Our Wellbeing Hub is open and here to offer
the information you need for your mental health

Charity Governance Awards 2019

Homepage Slide, Latest News, Uncategorised

We are thrilled to announce that Coventry and Warwickshire Mind has been shortlisted for the UK-wide Charity Governance Awards 2019.

We are in the running for the Embracing Opportunity and Harnessing Risk category of the awards which comes with a £5,000 unrestricted grant. Coventry and Warwickshire Mind is one of 21 charities from across the UK that complete the full shortlist.

Coventry and Warwickshire Mind joins the shortlist of charities representing a diverse range of activities that include mental health care, family support, disability sports, heritage conservation and the arts.

The 21-strong judging panel have shortlisted the entries and will select a winner in each of the seven categories. The winners will be announced at the official awards reception at the historic Clothworkers’ Hall in London on 22nd May 2019, featuring a keynote speech by Nat Sloane CBE, England Chair for The National Community Lottery Fund.

Among Coventry and Warwickshire Mind’s recent achievements has been the development of St Clair Gardens, a residential recovery centre in the Foleshill area of Coventry which opened in May 2018. The multi-million pound 14-bedroom development was designed to the charity’s specifications by Coventry-based architects IDP and built by Harrabin, a building company based in the city.

“We are delighted to be shortlisted for this prestigious UK-wide award in the Embracing Opportunity and Harnessing Risk category.

“It has been a long-held dream of Coventry and Warwickshire Mind to develop a recovery centre, and while the St Clair Gardens project came with challenges along the way the board of trustees worked together and was absolutely determined to see it through to completion, drawing on the knowledge and expertise of each trustee.

“St Clair Gardens is a much needed resource for the people of the area and it was a carefully considered risk, but we never lost sight of our ambition to see those of us experiencing mental health problems and in need of help to live independently supported in a ground-breaking home from home environment.

“It is a great source of pleasure to us that St Clair Gardens is enabling people to travel their recovery path in five-star but homely surroundings and we look forward to celebrating all that has been achieved so far with other charities at the forthcoming awards ceremony.”

Pat Allen, Chair of Coventry and Warwickshire Mind

Michael Jarvis, who chairs the Awards for the organisers The Clothworkers’ Company, said: “Congratulations to all these successful shortlisted candidates. The Charity Governance Awards may be in their fourth year, but we continue to hear about new and exciting initiatives from our entrants each year.

“Charities exist in a challenging climate, so successful governance stories from the frontline can provide powerful examples for the whole sector to follow. Our shortlisted candidates have proved that low budgets, limited resources and other pressures need not be an obstacle to digital innovation, building diverse and vibrant boards, or turning around the most difficult of situations.”

Commenting on the judging process, panellist Tesse Akpeki, lead consultant for Onboard with Bates-Wells-Braithwaite, said: “The process was robust, constructively challenging and engaging, which uncovered the dynamic nature of governance. I was struck that these Awards continue to demonstrate that rewarding good governance is an area that continues to evolve. Models of governance are reshaped and refreshed as new movements and networks emerge: this empowers people and stimulates social change.”

The expert judging panel boasts a wealth of experience in charity governance and the voluntary sector. Judges also include Dawn Austwick (CEO, The National Lottery Community Fund), Vinay Nair (Co-founder, Lightful), Dan Corry (CEO, New Philanthropy Capital), David Gold (CEO, Prospectus) and Janet Thorne (CEO, Reach Volunteering) among many other notable names. (See www.charitygovernanceawards.co.uk/judges for a full list of judges).

You can follow the awards on Twitter via @CharityGovAwards or by using the hashtag #charitygov19. Winners will be announced on the website following the ceremony in May.

Masquerade Ball at Nailcote

Fundraiser Events, Latest News
Nailcote Hall, Berkswell

Come along to Nailcote Hall in Berkswell on Friday November 8 2019 for a night of magic and mystery to raise funds to support our work here at Coventry and Warwickshire Mind.

Louise Courtney and Anna McGee are organising the masquerade ball as they recognise the world is full of people who wear a mask to hide how they truly feel and are keen help those of us who are struggling, while promoting the importance of wellbeing.

We are thrilled they have chosen Coventry and Warwickshire Mind to be the beneficiary of money raised.

The event starts at 7pm and is the perfect opportunity to get glammed up with your masquerade evening attire to help raise money for our charity.

The tickets are £40 per person with an additional £3.23 booking fee. This will pay for your entry along with:

  • Three course meal
  • Live entertainment
  • Disco
  • Raffle
  • Auction

All funds raised from the raffle along with any money raised on the night will all go to Coventry and Warwickshire Mind. Tickets are on sale now.

To purchase your tickets click this link.

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Autism Awareness Week 2019

Latest News, Uncategorised

What is Autism Awareness Week?

Coventry and Warwickshire Mind is proud to be supporting Autism Awareness Week 2019. Autism Awareness Week is an internationally recognised event that will takes place this year from April 1st to April 7th, with the full seven days dedicated to encouraging people across the UK to take part in activities to raise money and awareness for the National Autistic Society until everyone understands.

What is autism?

Autism is a lifelong, developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people and how they experience the world around them. Autistic people see, hear and feel the world differently to other people. If you are autistic, you are autistic for life; autism is not an illness or disease and cannot be ‘cured’. Often people feel being autistic is a fundamental aspect of their identity.

CW Mind autism services:

We provide services to support people with autism and their families.

Autism Support Service – Our Autism support service aims to provide support to children, young people and families pre and post an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Funded through Warwickshire County Council and delivered across Coventry and Warwickshire, this new service will sit alongside CW Mind’s children and young people’s department, CAMHS Rise and Specialist CAMHS. This service is to strengthen existing ASD support within current services.

ASD Social Clubs –  Our social clubs are open to children and young people at the medium to high functioning end of the Autistic Spectrum, such as those with Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism (HFA). The social clubs provide a variety of social and informal educational opportunities which encourage the young people to develop their confidence, self-esteem, social skills and understanding of their emotional health.

Autism awareness video

Take a look at our autism awareness video below. It was created by Laura who leads our Autism Support Service as a visual and handy guide to what autism is and how you can understand it more.

Further information

To find out more about autism, we recommend the following websites for information and resources:

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Miss Coventry and Warwickshire 2019

Latest News
CW Mind ambassadors (L-R) Emily Bunce, a former Miss Coventry and Warwickshire, and Dee Hodgson

The contestants for Miss Coventry and Warwickshire have raised a fantastic amount of money for Coventry and Warwickshire Mind services.

The annual Miss England Coventry & Warwickshire competition was held on Saturday 2nd March at Sports Connextion in Ryton Upon Dunmore, near Coventry, with eight contestants participating in this year’s final.

In total they raised a brilliant £586 for Coventry and Warwickshire Mind.

Dee Hodgson, a former Coventry and Warwickshire Mind client and now member of staff, gave a powerful speech at the Miss Coventry and Warwickshire crowning ceremony, during which Elise Houghton was named the winner, and expressed how grateful we are as a charity for their donations and support.

During the speech, Dee said the money will “save lives as well as change lives”. She also spoke about how our charity supports people from birth all the way to adulthood through the wide range of services we provide across the organisation.

“I personally would not be standing here today if it wasn’t for the work of our charity. I walked into the Coventry and Warwickshire Mind Hub 11 years ago and Coventry and Warwickshire Mind put me back together, but they didn’t just put me back together they put my son back together, they saved his life.

I wasn’t able to work as an adult because of my ongoing mental health. I now work full-time, I am completely off benefits and it’s because of the work the charity do.”

Dee Hodgson

Well done to Elise, the new Miss Coventry and Warwickshire, and thank you to all the wonderful ladies and their supporters who raised funds for our charity. We look forward to hearing more about your activities.

Service Satisfaction Results

Latest News, Uncategorised

We are proud to announce the results after receiving service user feedback at the end of 2018.

Every year we give our service users a chance to tell us how we’re doing. Have they been satisfied with the services they’ve received? Had their experience resulted in positive outcomes? What do they think we could do to improve?

The results

From the 313 people who responded to our survey, the following results were:

  • 94% said that they have been satisfied with the service(s) they have received.
  • 95% said that they have experienced some kind of improvement or stabilisation in their mental health since accessing Coventry and Warwickshire Mind services.
  • A large proportion of service users believe they now know where to go for further support (80%) and 82% have access to information to help them with their mental wellbeing.
  • 83% of responders also agreed that they have received quality care and support and that they were listened to and respected (85%) throughout their involvement with CW Mind.

We also received positive comments:

“Having someone to understand me and given the support to make decisions. It has changed the way i think about a lot of stuff.” (Rugby/North Warwickshire Hub)

“Kind, considerate and caring. Taught me how to like me again.” (Counselling)

“Very, very, supportive, compassionate and non-judgemental.” (Pathfinder/Grow)

“Receiving feedback not only enables us to reflect on what we have, together with service users, achieved but also enables us to plan for the future to ensure that our support is tailored to the needs of individuals and helps individuals to achieve their goals and ambitions. I would like to also take this opportunity to thank our dedicated team of staff, volunteers and peer supporters who work tirelessly to ensure that we provide quality support to all. I would also like to thank the commissioners, funders and partner organisations with whom we work closely.
We trust that 2019 will be another year of expanding our reach and ensuring that “No one should have to face a mental health problem alone”.”

Steven Hill, CEO and Quality Lead of Coventry and Warwickshire Mind

If you would like to provide CW Mind with any comments or feedback regarding the support you have received, please do not hesitate to contact us on 024 7655 2847 or email anna.hodgson@cwmind.org.uk. The next annual survey will be held in September 2019.

To read the full survey satisfaction results click this link. This covers the full survey with all of the completed results and graphs.  

CW Mind Pool Tournament

Fundraiser Events, Latest News, Uncategorised

Our Wellbeing Hub in Coventry is preparing to host a pool tournament.

The event on March 27 is being organised by one of our members who dedicates his time to making sure all who attend have a fantastic time.

Roy, the tournament’s organiser, is a regular and well known member of the Hub.

Has said: “ I enjoy the hub, sitting in the garden and playing pool. I organise the pool tournaments because I enjoy doing them, and when I see everyone else enjoying themselves. It’s nice when the hub is busy on a pool tournament day.”

The tournament has up to 16 places and these are filling up fast. To get your place on the list, please drop into the Hub at the following address:

Where: Wellington Gardens

Windsor Street,

Coventry

CV1 3BT

When:

Wednesday, March 27 2019 at 2pm

Why don’t you came along and join us? We only ask for a £1 donation and all refreshments are provided.

Additional donations to cover the cost of trophies and prizes will be gratefully received and can be made at the event.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Peer Support with CW Mind

Adults Group support, Latest News, Uncategorised

Between 2015 and 2017 Coventry and Warwickshire Mind took part in a pilot research programme alongside eight other Mind charities across England.

The aim was help improve the lives of people experiencing mental health problems across England by increasing the availability and quality of peer support.

One of the elements the research focused on was the core values of effective peer support.

Now we’re back!

After the completion of the Side by Side Peer Support Pilot in 2017 national Mind produced the research findings from the nine local Mind Peer Support Hubs and developed the Peer Support Toolkit.

Next steps

We are now looking to continue this work by reconnecting with established peer support groups across Coventry and Warwickshire, and by supporting new groups to develop.

We will be offering free training, based on the Side by Side Peer Support in Your Community Toolkit, for anyone involved in peer support, or anyone who wants to help start a group.

We also have a small grant funding opportunity of up to £250 (per group) to help groups develop, and we will be helping peers to organise an event to further promote peer support in the community and make connections with each other.

If you want to:

  • get involved in the training,
  • talk to us about your group,
  • use this website to promote your group,
  • or you are an organisation that’s thinking about supporting a peer group…

Please get in touch

Contact details

Fran Flint

Peer Support Project Lead – Side by Side in the Community

Coventry and Warwickshire Mind

Mob: 07970 407 657

Tel: 02476 552 847

Working Days: Monday and Tuesday

Terms of Grants

  1. Our seed funding grants are for peer support groups that support people with their mental health. Peer support is when people use their own experiences to help each other. It can happen on a one to one basis, online or in a group. It may involve a range of activities such as crafts, walking or meeting for coffee. Peer support is sometimes referred to group support, self-help or community groups.
  2. Our small grants are designed to be spent within 6-12 months.
  3. Groups who receive funds will become involved in our evaluation of peer support. This will involve letting us know how many people come to your group, completing short monthly questionnaire and if you are happy to, talking to our researchers 1to1 about the group. We do this so we can show that groups like yours improve the lives of your community. 
  4. All funds must be spent on your group and are not for personal spending.

Time to Talk Day Events

Latest News
Coventry and Warwickshire Mind staff were on the Mental Health & Wellbeing Bus in Coventry city centre during Time to Talk Day as part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Year of Wellbeing.

Never ones to miss an opportunity to promote mental health, Coventry and Warwickshire Mind staff were out on Time to Talk Day 2019 with the message ‘let’s get talking’.

Our kettles were boiled and tea bags and biscuits were on hand at our Time to Talk Day events, to help get conversations flowing on the day.

Thank you to everyone who came along to find out more about our mental health services and take part in Time to Talk Day activities at our Wellbeing Hubs in Coventry and Nuneaton.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Mind Mental Health & Wellbeing Bus was also parked in Broadgate, Coventry city centre, on the day as part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Year of Wellbeing, and was particularly busy with a steady stream of visitors of all ages stepping inside.

It was fantastic to see so many people engaged with the theme of this year’s Time to Talk Day theme, that it only takes a few ingredients to get conversations started around mental health.

While Time to Talk Day takes place once a year, Coventry and Warwickshire Mind is here every day to keep the conversation going around mental health, to be a listening ear and provide support.

If you missed our bus and would like to get on board, there are still plenty of opportunities throughout the year. Take a look at our bus timetable here.

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