Without doubt, 2020 has been an extremely challenging year for us all, requiring much of everyone, as we have to adapt our personal and working lives to keep ourselves and others safe during this pandemic. As we moved to Level 4 Alert, many people will now not be able to be with people they had […]

Author: Mary Fotheringham
Posted on: 21st December 2020

Christmas can be a wonderful time of year; it gives us a chance to meet up with friends and family, indulge in festive treats and give gifts. However, it’s not always like that for everyone, and the restrictions placed upon us due to the pandemic mean that some may not be able to enjoy Christmas […]

Author: Stewart Gillespie
Posted on: 21st December 2020

We set up our ‘Supporting Minds’ programme in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 lockdown. We had to suspend our face-to-face support and brought our services together as one team, whilst also changing to new ways of working to provide remote mental health support for people during this challenging time. Positive Impact The response […]

Author: Stewart Gillespie
Posted on: 10th December 2020

What is SAD? Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern. SAD is sometimes known as ‘winter depression’ or ‘winter blues’ because the symptoms are usually more apparent and severe during the winter. Some people with SAD may have symptoms during the summer and feel better […]

Author: Stewart Gillespie
Posted on: 10th November 2020

As a charity and employer, our aim is to reduce risk to “our people”, (trustees, employees, locums, volunteers, service users, casual workers, visitors and the general public,) by introducing control measures to mitigate risk and ensure everybody’s health, safety and wellbeing is protected. We have conducted suitable and sufficient COVID-19 risk assessments for all of […]

Author: Mary Fotheringham
Posted on: 6th November 2020

Prioritising your mental health doesn’t have to be complicated. There are lots of simple changes you can make to your routine that can have a positive affect on your wellbeing. Mind has provided ideas and tips on how you can start with one thing… Relax and reduce stress Do something that helps you relax, like […]

Author: Stewart Gillespie
Posted on: 30th October 2020

World Mental Health Day 2020 is the most important one yet. This year has been a tough one for us all. The months of lockdown and loss have had a huge impact on our mental health. According to research conducted by Mind with over 16,000 people, we know that more than half of adults (60%) […]

Author: Stewart Gillespie
Posted on: 6th October 2020

Following the easing of lock down, we worked on our risk assessment and reopening plans to ensure a safety led environment for our service users and staff. We had hoped to sign off plans to return to some face to face work in the summer but the rise in local rates of infection has not […]

Author: Mary Fotheringham
Posted on: 1st October 2020

Thursday 10 September was World Suicide Prevention Day. We heard from many of you about how suicide or suicidal feelings have affected your lives. Even though mental health awareness has increased in recent years, talking about suicide is still widely stigmatised. Too many of us suffer in silence. I couldn’t see past the pain. It […]

Author: Stewart Gillespie
Posted on: 17th September 2020

This week, Mind is launching Side by Side online support which replaces Elefriends.  We will miss our ellies but look forward to a new and improved online support portal.  To find out more or register with Side by Side click here.

Author: Mary Fotheringham
Posted on: 7th September 2020