World Mental Health Day 2022 is today.. After following last year’s theme of ‘Isolation’ this year the mental health foundation has announced the theme for this year is ‘Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority’
Life almost seems like it has gone back to normal but for some the aftermath of Covid has left individuals and groups vulnerable and lonely. Whether this has stemmed from loved ones passing or vital relationships that have been lost over the pandemic, it can leave people with nowhere to turn to. We can relate and, with social media being prevalent and a powerful tool in today’s society, it can only take a post or a link to a counsellors page or a local social group, that may help pull someone out of a dark space.
Here are links to projects and activities in your local area which can help you re-build personal relationships and connections. We have identified 3 ways:
Connecting to nature
Life can get busy, and we often forget to take time out of the day to get outside. Research from the University of Essex has indicated that ‘Immersion in natural settings is not only beneficial as a treatment for depression but as a preventative measure as well. It can encourage healthy stress responses and recovery patterns vital to mental health.’ Simple things such as taking a ten-minute walk outside in the fresh air can improve your mental and physical wellbeing. We at Relate Pennine understand it’s hard to find time to incorporate walks and days out amongst a busy schedule, so what are some ways you can help yourself and connect with nature in and between day-to-day life. Something we recommend getting involved in is gardening. Not only does it function as a therapeutic hobby, but the responsibility of growing plants or vegetables can be exciting to watch and manage. It can be a great family activity to share the responsibility of another life and may help build a better family connection through teamwork to keep your garden alive and healthy.
Local allotments are a great space to share the love of gardening around other likeminded families or individuals. Listed on the Keighley town council website you can find an area-by-area allotment sites around your neighbourhood to get involved with today.
With a busy schedule or work life, a club once a week may be an interest to individuals that wish to get out and meet new people socially with similar passions. Cullingworth Garden Club in the town of Cullingworth outside of Keighley meets the 3rd Wednesday of every month and holds various social events including, plant sales, quizzes and garden activities and day outs. You can see the upcoming events and activities that are listed on their social media and new members are all welcome with no fee. You can reach out via Facebook, or the number listed below on their page, a chance to connect with nature in and out of your community.
For family members wanting a day out within the community, lovers of celebrating nature or
wanting to get involved in the local growing vegetable and garden competitions, the Keighley Horticulture society may be for you! With a fee of only £2 a year, you can get involved in the community whether you want to enter your own produce or take a day out to watch the local produce of local gardeners around your area every month. The society meet six times a year on the second Monday of each alternate month (February, April, June, August, October, and December) at 7.30 pm at The Brown Cow, West Lane, Keighley and hold all manner of stalls and local market food and crafts. Linked down below is information on how they started out and links to ways you can get involved.
Activity and hobby days
We go through various stages of our life and our tastes and interests change, so why not embrace something new. Hobbies can be a wonderful way to explore passions and not only help can it you’re your mental wellbeing, but it can improve your social skills within relationships. So why should I engage in a hobby? Research by Matthew Zawadzki, a health psychologist at the University of California shows ‘that leisure activity can provide immediate stress relief and has numerous health and psychological benefits, like improved focus, happiness and a longer life.’ Some benefits of engaging in a hobby further show lower levels of depression after immersing themselves within activities. For the area of Keighley, you may wonder where I can find places to meet people and get stuck in with a something new, the internet is a great place to look. Eventbrite is an online search engine that helps you to find events happening in your area, ranging from art nights, to mindful and writing workshops for beginners and lots more! Most range from free and first come first serve, to a
small fee in order to participate in a new skill or craft, this site is best for the people that want to dabble in a bit of everything.
For families it hard to not only plan days out but get all the family out the house and involved in various activities. Taking your children somewhere different can bring new experiences and memories for a lifetime but picking where can be tricky when you don’t know where to go. ‘Day out with the kids’ is the biggest UK website for finding family days out with over 7,500 attractions across the country and counting. Just pop your location in and you will see an array of activities from adventure days out, zoos and wildlife to theme parks and so much more. Even better for the parents with young children, you can filter your searches to activities for a younger or older appropriate days out. There’s even a membership card they have ranging from a monthly to a lifetime membership to help you save money on tickets and various wristbands. With this website your next adventure isn’t
far with guidance on picking somewhere to visit when you may be having a hard time finding where to go.
For young people wanting to get out of the house or wanting something weekly to look forward to, the local council website is a great resource to find out what local activities are held in your community. With a page dedicated for young people’s fun, including links to sport and adventure activities days to do as an individual or with friends, it’s a great way to experience new skills and sports at little or no cost. There’s a chance of meeting new people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Linked down below is their website at just the click of a button, see what’s on in your area.
Volunteering
The best way to get involved and give back to your community is through volunteering. It can be rewarding to give your time and energy back into your area and there is a chance it will strengthen your skills further and help you gain professional experience. The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said that the essence of life is “to serve others and do good,” and now more than ever there is more ways to volunteer and connect with the people in your area. ‘Action Point, Community Support Services’ is a registered charity working within the Keighley district since 2001, delivering services to local groups within the community. They aim ‘to provide a range of voluntary services which improve the quality of life of older people, disable people and disadvantaged groups living in the area. ‘Linked down below is their social media information, as well as their volunteer section webpage, where you can find a suitable role that matches your interests and availability before you start a placement.
For younger individuals volunteering can be a chance to enhance your skills and experiences. The local council page is a straightforward way to see what volunteering opportunities are available in your area. With the page actively seeking partnerships with the residents of Keighley that are enthusiastic about enhancing the town for the better. As well as learning in a new environment, there’s a chance to work in the public sector which may help in the future when applying for future jobs. Before applying you can see the upcoming events through their webpage, with a list of events running through the year that you may interest you. Reach out down below and help improve your area today!
Indeed, is one of the UK biggest job sites and with access to millions of companies, it can be a great place to seek out volunteering work. Indeed, lets you filter your location and what kind area of volunteering you are interested in involving yourself in. With pages full of jobs from big to small, each have detailed job descriptions and can help you select which one is right for you. As well as their website you can also download their app and stay up to date with the local volunteering adverts in your area.
If you find your relationships need more support or if you want to work on your own behaviours and concerns in the way you interact with others, contact us for more information. Relate Cross Pennine is a registered charity servicing relationship counselling, individual counselling, marriage counselling, children's and young people’s counselling, family counselling and sex therapy around the West Yorkshire and Lancashire area.
To find out more or to contact us today, you can find us here
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